April's Reign
by Candace Waters
Summary: April Chandler, beautiful, mysterious and charming. Men are just dying to meet her. Literally dying! Now Gary has been smitten by her charms
1. Default Chapter

Title: April's Reign  
Author: Candace Waters   
Disclaimer: Early Edition is  
owned by Tristar Pictures  
First posted: January 2001  
  
Chapter 1  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Showers on and off today, with lows in the   
mid-twenties and highs in the upper forties! We'll   
have more news weather for you on the hour,  
but first, we want to take you back down to   
our newsroom with an update on that special  
news bulletin....Matt?!"  
  
"Thank you Katie! Another bod... ! "   
  
Click!   
  
Fingers, dripping with shaving cream , appeared  
suddenly, snapping off the clock radio.  
  
Barefoot and shirtless, Gary Hobson stood  
wiping his hands on the bath towel  
he carried when he rushed out of his bathroom  
that morning to quiet his clock radio. He had just  
begun shaving when the radio went off resonating  
loudly throughout his small apartment. His partially   
shaven face was still slathered in shaving cream.   
  
Cat, his feline friend and confidant for the past  
four years was curled up comfortably at the   
foot of his bed. The Suntimes, which had been  
retrieved earlier that morning, was laying beside  
him and folded neatly to the Metro section.   
  
Nothing of importance seemed to be going on with  
the paper when Gary checked it earily that morning.   
He had even contemplated taking in a movie.   
  
Whistling happily, Gary hurried around the  
foot of his bed back to the seclusion of  
his bathroom to finish shaving.   
  
"How ya doin boy?" he greeted Cat cheerfully for  
the second time that morning.  
  
"Meow!" Cat answered.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Gary noticed that the   
front page of the paper was different. An article  
that wasn't there before had appeared and he   
stopped dead in his tracks. He picked up the paper   
to take a closer look.  
  
"Man Found Shot," The headline blared silently.  
  
"Whoa boy," he said, scratching his head, "where'd  
this come from?" He plopped down on his bed,  
and for an instant thought seriously about cancelling his  
subscription and moving out of town.   
  
Ever since he had been framed in the Scanlon case,  
Gary felt uneasy dealing with murder situations.  
They were always risky. Unfortunately, he had found that  
out the hard way and now had a greater respect  
for the words 'be careful', something Marisa would sometimes  
call out to him as he hurried out the door on a  
save. He didn't like dealing with murder cases at all!   
  
A knock at the door broke through his thoughts,  
and he looked up from the paper. Marisa, he thought,  
wiping the shaving cream from his face with the towel. Grabbing  
a shirt from the laundry basket near his closet, he pulled  
it over his head as he made his way over to the door.  
  
He knew that Marisa sometimes stopped by the loft  
early to chat or catch up on current events, knowing  
that he  
would probably be gone for most of the day.   
  
"Just a minute," he said, opening the door.  
  
"Morning Gary," Marisa greeted, tapping her way  
in with her cane. In her hand she carried a coffee pot.  
  
"Morning," Gary sputtered, and quickly stepped  
aside, allowing her room to pass.  
  
"What's that?" he asked, pointing to the pot.  
  
"Java," Marisa answered, "or as my uncle Lenzo  
calls it, Chicago mud, and I brought you a cup."   
  
Folding her cane and placing it carefully on the  
counter, Marisa groped for the table, then felt her  
way around it to set up the coffee pot. She knew   
every inch of Gary's apartment. On occassion she had washed  
dishes  
and   
cleaned the small kitchenette for him, so she was  
familiar with where everything was.   
  
"Chicago mud..a-and you call that a cup?"   
  
"Family joke," Marisa smiled, moving about the  
kitchen. "I just thought that before we both start  
our day, we could maybe enjoy a cup of coffee  
together...you know, like we used to."   
  
"Well....th-thats nice Marisa.....thank you very  
much," he said, watching in awe as she easily  
retreived two cups from the cupboard and   
placed them carefully on  
the counter. The aroma of freshly brewd coffee  
filled the tiny   
kitchen and Gary suddenly felt like he  
could use a cup.  
  
It had been a while since the two had talked over  
a cup of coffee. With Gary being busy with the paper  
and Marisa, with the duties of bar manager, there was  
just simply no time.   
  
"Did you hear about the body that was found?" she  
asked as she carefully filled two cups.  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah...yeah, I was just reading about  
it," Gary murmered, his attention drawn back to  
the paper. Scratching his head, he plopped back   
down on the bar stool focusing on the article again.  
Body found?  
  
"Wait a min...w-what body!?" his head shot up  
quickly.  
  
"It was on the news this morning, Gary."  
Marisa informed him, taking a sip of coffee. "You  
know...television,  
radio? Anyway, a couple found the man last night."  
  
Confused, Gary rubbed the back of his neck as he  
stared at the article. How did he miss the murder in  
yesterday's  
paper? He hadn't read about any murder.  
  
Marisa, sensing something wrong in Gary's silence,  
lowered her cup to stare blankly across at him.  
  
"What is it, Gary?"   
  
"Marisa....a-a man is going to be killed tonight.  
He's going to be murdered. H-How did I miss the one  
yesterday?"   
  
For a moment, there was silence, as both of them  
pondered the meaning of why the deaths weren't  
reported in Gary's paper. After much thought Marisa looked up  
from her cup.  
  
"Gary!" she whispered. "Oh my God, Gary! The  
news  
eport did say that the man had been dead for a few  
days before his body was found. That might  
explain why you didn't see it in yesterday's paper!"  
  
Gary slid his fingers through his hair again, this  
time grasping a handful between his fingers. He  
sat, staring at  
he article. "That would explain a lot, now  
wouldn't it?" he murmered under his breath.  
  
It was times like this when Marisa  
wished for sight. She felt badly for Gary having to  
deal with the emotional aspects and consequences   
of the paper.  
The responsibility of the paper was indeed a task  
to be cursed with, and even though she personally   
didn't have to  
deal with the paper, she dealt with it in her heart,  
There were nights that he would go out alone on a job,   
and come back late, sometimes reeking with the stench of  
sewer or whatever situation had been dealt with that night.   
  
The only comforting thing was the fact that he was  
here when she arrived in the mornings, and if the  
rescue was  
a success, then that was a plus. Sure, she offered  
her advice, and on occasion helped him out with  
whatever she could, but there was only so much she could  
physically do. Right now, she felt helpless and wanted to ease  
his conscience.   
  
"You can't feel responsible for every crime that  
goes on in this city, Gary....you're only one  
person."   
  
"Yeah, well, could you please tell that to the  
paper, Marissa?" he groused sarcastically, and  
rose, retreating to the bathroom to finish shaving.  
  
"Gary." she sighed.  
  
There was the sound of the toliet flushing, and  
running water as Gary completed shaving the other  
side of his face.  
  
"Scratch the movie(!)" he called from the  
bathroom.  
  
"Excuse me?"   
  
"I-I was just thinking about taking in a movie  
today ... a-and now this," he complained, returning to the  
kitchen freshly shaven and wiping his hands on a towel.  
  
Sorry, Gary."  
  
"Yeah." he sighed.  
  
"Coffee."   
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Coffee's getting cold." Marisa reminded him.  
  
"Oh yeah...coffee," Gary sighed, staring down  
into the black pool in his cup. Somehow it reminded  
him of night and he quickly dumped in a spoon full of  
creamer causing a gray swirl of steam rise and tickle his  
nose.   
  
The article had spoiled his appetite for  
coffee, but to avoid hurting Marisa's feelings, he  
raised his cup anyway to take a sip. He stopped suddenly to  
scan the article again.  
  
Marisa knew the uneasiness Gary felt dealing with  
saves like this, and she felt it was just as well if  
he left it lone, but knowing Gary, he wouldn't.   
  
"Read me the article," she offered. At least she  
would be able to know what he was going to be  
dealing with that night.  
  
Gary glanced up from the paper to stare  
across the table at the sightless eyes of his  
friend. He always felt comforted knowing that   
Marisa would be there to listen. Even though  
she couldn't see, she had always said that   
she had eyes of her own. He felt that she  
could seewhat the ordinary person couldn't.   
She had a special insight into  
things, and Gary knew that he could always count on  
her for anything.   
  
Settling himself on a chair, he lowered his eyes,  
his dark lashes fluttering as he began to read the  
article.  
  
" The body of a local man was found yesterday  
evening in a park on Howe Rd. He had been   
shot once in the back of the head. His frozen   
body was found slumped over a park bench.   
Robert Norris had been at work that day at   
Golden Spoon Restaurant and was on his  
way home, coworkers say. When he left the bar  
that evening he was alone, saying he chose to walk  
the two blocks home because it was so close. He  
leaves behind a wife and a three year old daughter.  
Police have no leads at this time, but are asking anyone  
who may have seen anything to please come forward.   
This is the second shooting death this month, and   
police are not saying if the two killings are related. "   
  
Gary lowered the paper. "Robert Norris..." he  
sputtered and glanced over at the alarm clock.  
"Seven forty-five. That gives me..."  
  
"At least 11 hours Gary...." Marisa cut in. "Seems  
kind of odd don't you think?"   
  
"What?"   
  
"The guy...choosing to walk in this kind of  
weather."   
  
Gary hadn't given it much thought but now that it  
was mentioned, it did seem kind of odd. No one in  
his right mind would have chosen to walk in this weather if  
they could help it.   
  
"Yeah...." he sighed looking over at her. "I'm  
ahhh, gonna go shower," he said, motioning to  
bathroom, then remembering his coffee, "Ah...thanks   
for the coffee huh?"  
  
Marisa smile, knowing that he hadn't touched a  
single drop of it, and it was probably as cold as  
the weather outside. A hot shower would do him good.   
  
"Sure, I'll leave the pot here, just in case you  
want a cup. It's still hot." she sighed, hopping  
down from the barstool.  
  
"Thanks," Gary said, feeling guilty about the  
coffee.  
  
He handed Marisa her cane and waited until she had  
extended it open before walking her to her to  
the door. She stopped suddenly and turned to face him.   
  
"At least you have a name to go on, Gary,"  
she said, trying to reassure him. "That's something."  
  
"Yeah...and...maybe I can prevent this one."  
  
"Be careful. Oh, and stop by me  
before you leave, ok?!" Marisa called over her  
shoulder as she made her way down the stairs.  
  
"Yeah-yeah...I will." Gary promised.  
  
* To be continued..... 


	2. April's Reign Chapter 2

~~*~~~~~~~*~~~  
Chapter Two  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
"Robert Norse?"   
  
The man behind the counter was wearing a name badge   
with the name 'Bob' on it. Without any description of the   
man from the paper, Gary had to assume this was the guy.   
  
The man looked up from his paper work to peer at the   
one who had called him by his full name. "May I   
help you?"   
  
"E-Excuse me." Gary said. "You are Robert   
Norse..a-aren't you?"  
  
"What can I do for you?" the man answered, laying   
the pen down he had been writing with. Clasping   
his fingers together, he leaned forward on the counter   
giving Gary his full attention.  
  
"I...I have a message for you...from your doctor," Gary   
lied trying to think a reason to give the man for bothering  
him.  
  
"Excuse me...but do I know you?" the man asked,   
appearing a little irritated with Gary and his questions.  
  
Gary thought feverishly. He could use the old "Dr.   
Keenan" excuse again. He had used it years ago to   
stop a man from being killed in a crash up on the   
interstate expressway. There was no better way of   
getting someone's attention than to tell them that   
their doctor was wanting to see them.  
  
"I...I work with Doctor Keenan." Gary lied running his   
fingers through his hair.  
  
Puzzle, the man eyed him suspiciously. "Dr. Keenan?"  
he asked, "Who's Dr Keenan--and who the hell are you!?"  
  
Oh boy. Gary glanced off across the restaurant,   
trying to think of a answer. Luckily at that moment   
a fellow coworker interrupted them to converse with   
Mr. Norse about something having to do with the   
business of the restaurant, giving Gary more time to think.   
  
While the two men talked, Gary scanned the crowded restaurant bustling with the evening dinner crowd. Waitresses and busboys hustled about carrying trays loaded down with food. Several more employees stopped to ask Mr. Norse questions concerning their duties for the evening, and Gary waited patiently until the last worker departed and they were alone.  
  
"I-I work with Dr. Keenan," Gary continued, "Dr. Keenan's an acquaintance of your doctor. Doctoer..ahh..." he paused, thumping his forehead with the palm of his hand pretending to have forgotten the name of the doctor.  
  
"Dr. Matthews....?" the man asked, looking perplexed.  
  
"Yeah....Dr Matthews!" Gary laughed nervously. He was getting to be pretty good at this. "He-told me-to tell you, that he needed to talk to you right away."   
  
Mr. Norse seemed to be very distracted at the moment. He was looking pass Gary across the crowded restaurant and appeared  
to be trying to make eye contact with someone. Gary turned around to see what had sparked his interest.   
  
Across the restaurant sat a woman with flaming red hair. Gary couldn't see her face but noticed that she was smartly dressed. She was sitting in such away that her face was blocked from his view. The pair made nonverbal communication for a while. Suddenly, the woman, as if upset, got up and stormed out of the restaurant her fiery red hair flopping behind her.  
  
"Wait here!" Robert Norse said frantically as he gave Gary's coat sleeve a tug. "I'll be right back." With that he hurried out of the restaurant after the woman.   
  
Shaking his head Gary slipped the paper from his back pocket to see if anything had changed in the headline. The headline had been replaced.  
  
'Clinton Avoids indictment'.   
  
"Great," he muttered as he glanced up from the paper to   
scan the restaurant again.  
  
It wasn't long before Robert Norse reappeared red faced and out of breath. A look of disappointment clouded his face as he made his way back towards Gary.  
  
"Can we talk?" he asked breathlessly, pulling Gary over to the side. "It-It's about my tests results....isn't it?" he asked, his voice now a worried whisper.  
  
"Howzat?" Gary asked.  
  
Beads of perspiration appeared on the man's top lip and he nervously wiped his mouth. My test results....my wife..has doctor....?"  
  
"I....I..don't know." Gary interrupted, cutting him off quickly. He was beginning to know more about Mr. Robert Norse than he really cared to. "I-I'm just here to give you the message th-thats all I know." He explained shaking his head. The danger was over, and all he wanted to do was to get out of there. Any trouble Mr. Norse was in, or *thought* he was in, was nothing compared to what was to have been that night.   
  
"Do you need a ride home?" Gary offered, remembering from the paper, that Mr. Norse had chosen to walk that night.   
  
Mr. Norse glanced down at his watch. "It just so happens that I didn't drive my car tonight. If you don't mind...I...I somehow feel the need to get home to my wife. The sooner the better." he grinned sheepishly.   
  
Gary couldn't agree more.  
  
Grabbing his jacket Robert Norse motioned his departure to some  
fellow workers as he and Gary stepped out into the frigid night. As they walked towards Gary's Bronco, neither one of the men noticed the dark car parked in the shadows beneath a large willow tree, on the side of the restaurant.  
  
To be continued.................. 


	3. April's Reign Chapter 3

Chapter Three  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
"Meow!"   
  
Thump!   
  
"Good morning Chicago! It's 6:30 AM here in the frosty city!.  
Wake up you sleepy..."  
  
"Whack!!   
  
Clatter!   
  
((Rattle-rattle-rattle-rattle!!!))  
  
From beneath the covers an arm extended flailing about wildly until it made contact with it's target- the clock radio, swiping it across the floor.   
  
Radio silenced, Gary slid deeper beneath his warm blankets. "Five more minutes," he murmured drowsily, " just fi..mor..."  
  
"Meow!" Cat purred again. Outside of the door, he waited patiently to be let in. Beneath him lay the paper, still damp from the night's rain. Cat was confident that the door would open, just like it did every morning for the past three years and his grumpy master would appear. He ignored his master's tone and facial grimace he sometimes received because he knew his master's heart. Licking his front paws, Cat waited.   
  
A few minutes later, the door opened and a frumpled hair'd Gary stood, clad in blue checkered boxers and tee shirt. Ignoring him Cat pranced nonchalantly past him into the apartment with Gary's irritated glare following. He paused briefly to survey the shattered alarm clock which was, amazingly, still ticking, but now lay scattered in pieces, across the bedroom floor.   
  
Inventory completed, Cat strolled over to Gary's bed then leaped gracefully onto it and curled up into a comfortable fluffy yellow ball.  
  
Gary had watched Cat's idle manner as he strolled into his apartment and it irritated him that he would make himself at home at the foot of his bed. Feeling grumpy, Gary wanted to chastise him for being on the furniture again, but was resolved to the fact that it was useless trying to argue with a cat. Shaking his head, he bent down to pick up the paper. He thought about the man at the resturaunt. It had been a couple of days since he had taken Mr. Norse home, and with the big lie that he had told about knowing his doctor, Gary hoped to never cross paths with him again. Mr. Norse's fidelity, or lack there of, was another story. Since then, there had been no other incidents of that type of shooting, he only hoped today would be no different.  
  
'Woman Killed by Train,' the headline blared. Gary rose slowly, his eyes fixed on the article. Reading silently, he retreated back into his apartment and closed the door quietly.   
  
'April Chandler 28, was killed at approximately 9:15AM yesterday morning, when the tiny car she was driving became lodge on the railroad tracks between Harlem and Winsor Ave. Due possibly to the heavy rain fall from the night before, police say the tires on her black Volkswagen Beetle, somehow became lodged in the sticky mud and tar on the tracks just as the East bound train roared past, killing her instantly. Witnesses say that she had just left Macy's Department store on West 35th St. On lookers at the scene say that she seemed to have ignored the flashing railroad signals as if trying to beat the train.'  
  
Laying the paper aside, Gary glanced down at the shattered clock. Tilting his head slightly he could still make out the time.   
  
6:45 AM  
  
Gary knew that the morning commute would be heavy, and traffic backed up.  
In order to make it there on time to save the young woman, he'd have to leave right away. As usual there was no time for breakfast. Grabbing the milk carton from the fridge, he headed quickly for the shower.   
  
To be continued.............. 


	4. April's Reign Chapter 4

Chapter Four  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
Gary's black bronco pulled into the parking lot of Macys department store. He turned off the engine and checked his watch. It was 8:45 AM.  
  
Despite the cloudy weather, the sun struggled to peek through dark puffy clouds cutting through the haze of the frosty morning. It had stopped raining, and beads of water glistened on his windshield distorting his view. Gary clicked on the wipers to clear it just as a large woman rushed past with a young child in tow, and the two of them disappeared into the reflecting glass door of the department store.   
  
It was early and most of the stores were just opening up for business. The paper had described a black Volkswagen Beetle as the type of car the woman had been driving. Gary scanned the parking lot which  
was nearly vacant except for a few parked cars scattered about, none of them fitting the description. He blew out a nervous breath and glanced down at the paper again hoping for a change in the headline.   
  
"Still there." he whispered, disappointed.  
  
A few minutes later, a car pull up beside him. The sun reflected brightly off  
side mirror and Gary had to squint to get a good look at the car. It was a black Volkswagen bug as described in the paper.   
  
The door of the car swung opened and a young woman, stepped out. Judging from her appearance, Gary guessed her to be about the same age of the woman mentioned in the paper.   
  
The brightness of the sun shining in Gary's eyes made it hard for him to see her face clearly. The woman must have sensed being watched because at that moment she looked over at him, her sparkling blue eyes meeting his gaze. She stared at him for a moment before quickly cutting her eyes away. For a brief second, Gary got the impression that the woman recognized him.   
  
Smiling sweetly she closed the door to her little beetle the beep of the car alarm sounding as she walked away. She glanced back at him and smiled, her light brown hair blowing gently behind her as she walked towards the building.   
  
There were two men entering the building at that same time, both of them almost tripping over each other trying to get the door for her.   
Gary glanced around to see if anyone had noticed. Feeling abash for the two men he shook his head in disgust and glanced down at the paper again to see if anything had changed.   
  
"It's her, " he murmured looking over at the car again, "Volkswagen Bug."   
  
The woman smiled as the men held the door open for her.   
Without so much as a thank you, she walked on, leaving the two men standing there grinning stupidly.   
  
When she was quite a distance from the entrance, the woman turned back to peer out into the parking lot. She was almost certain that this was the man she had seen in the Golden Spoon restaurant talking to Robert Norse a few nights ago. Who was he? Was he following her? Did he recognize her without the red wig?  
  
"May I help you?" A woman's voice sounded in her ear interrupting her thoughts.  
  
"Ohh..." April gasped. She hadn't seen the sales lady approach and it startled her. Pretending to be looking at the merchandise, she managed a sweet, "No thank you. I'm just looking right now." then smiled.  
  
April's beautiful face was a blessing to her, and she knew it. She also knew that it could be a curse. She was able to get any man she desired, but the thing she wanted most seemed unattainable. She never knew whether the men she dated loved her for who she was or for her beauty alone and it made her angry. Her smile could melt the hearts of men but in reality it was deadly curse to any man who fell for it.  
  
"Well, just let me know." The sales lady smiled. She too had been captivated by April and thought to herself how charming this young lady was.  
  
"Thank you, " April smiled back, watching as the lady walk away.   
  
This had to be a coincidence, she thought peering out into the parking lot at the black Bronco still parked beside her car.   
Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed that the man was no longer inside. She quickly scanned the parking lot now crowed with cars, wondering if the driver had come inside. She finally spotted him inside of the lobby using one of the pay-phones. She blew out a breath of relief and her heart settled down. She wanted to know more about Mr. handsome. It couldn't hurt to meet him. Could it? She smiled sweetly.  
  
To be continued........................... 


	5. April's Reign Chapter 5a

Chapter Five (a)  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
"....I think it's her Marisa." Gary was speaking into the phone. "Yeah..  
well she just came inside of the department store a few minutes  
ago. She was driving a car just like the one described in the paper.   
A black Volkswagen Beetle...and the headline is still here."   
  
Hoping to kill some time until the woman reappeared, Gary had gone inside the department store lobby to phone Marisa, all the while keeping an eye on the little beetle parked beside his jeep. He had told Marisa about the train accident earlier than morning and had phoned her just to talk and to keep her posted on the situation. Something he often did.  
  
"Well, I think it's best if you waited outside Gary, instead of trying to find her inside...you might miss her." Marisa's voice sounded concerned coming  
through the phone.  
  
"Yeah...I think you're right." Gary agreed. He suddenly thought about   
the strange way the woman looked at him when she first saw him.  
"You know something Marisa?" he said.  
  
"What's that Gary?"  
  
"There's something about her..." he hesitated.  
  
"Like?"  
  
Gary shrugged, " I-I don't know. I can't explain it." he suddenly felt  
silly about bringing the subject up and quickly dismissed the thought  
"It's...probably nothing." he said shaking his head.  
  
"What Gary?" Marisa prompted. "Is she pretty? " She teased.  
  
"Is she what!?" Gary held out the receiver to look at it.   
  
Marisa placed a hand over the mouth piece, trying really hard to suppress a giggle. She knew that Gary was hesitant when it came to expressing his feelings about any female. After his failed marriage, and a few nowhere relationships, he had built up an invisible wall to protect his heart from being hurt again. And the paper took up most of his time so, Marisa knew how he felt. *Any* insinuation of any kind about him getting "involved" would certainly scare him off. He did not like setups, or blind dates. Whether a rescue was pretty or not wasn't an issue with Gary. At least it wasn't something he would be discussing with her, especially now. Marisa knew this, but teased him for an answer anyway.  
  
"Is she pretty? You know...attractive?" Marisa repeated, grinning at his  
irritation.  
  
The sound of her teasing went ignored as Gary glanced down at his watch. It was now 9:10AM. Seeing no sign of the woman, he checked the paper again. The headline had changed.   
  
"Marisa!"   
  
"I'm right here." She sang.  
  
"The headline....it's changed!"   
  
Feeling relieved, Marisa blew out a sigh of relief. "Thank God Gary"   
she whispered. " So...the accidents' no longer there? S-Something must have happened to change it."  
  
"Yeah..I-I don't know, but it's no longer here! " Gary answered looking  
out into the parking lot. Still no sign of the woman.  
  
"Are you sure Gary?" Marisa asked. "What does the article say now?"   
  
Gary glanced down at the paper again, and read the replaced headline  
silently.  
  
' Groundhog sees Shadow, six more weeks of Bad Weather!'   
  
"Keep your umbrella handy." He answered, glancing up from the paper.  
  
"What does that mean Gary?" Marisa asked confused by his statement.  
  
"N-Never mind." Gary sighed, waving away the remark. "It seems as if Miss Chandler has had a change in plans."  
  
"You sound disappointed."  
  
"Howzat?"   
  
The fact that the train accident was no longer going to occur of course was no disappointment to Gary. In face there was actually no longer a reason for him to hang around. The woman was safe.  
  
"I do not sound disappointed!" he snapped, "I...was just...ah ... curious as to what happened to change the headline...th-thats all."   
  
"Well...you can still meet her Gary." Marisa sighed softly.  
  
  
( Meanwhile............)   
  
Inside of the department store, April knew that the stranger couldn't see her.  
But, she had a full scale view of him. Her beautiful eyes revealed a hint of melancholy to them as she surveyed him carefully, looking him up and down.  
Who was this guy? And why was he following her?   
  
She thought back on the night when she saw him come into the restaurant.... the night Robert Norse would have died. But after talking to this guy, Robert canceled their date. What was going on?  
  
She shut her eyes tight, not wanting to feel the awful feelings that were beginning to brew inside of her. How she hated men! Married men especially! No! Actually, they were all the same!   
  
She focused her attention back on the man talking on the lobby phone. He looked as sweet as apple pie. But he would probably be no different from the rest of them! Present her as a trophy, an ornament on their arm to be shown around! To attend their expensive elaborate parties, to show off to their friends!   
  
Tears clouded her eyes. April could feel the confusion stirring up again. Her fists  
were clenched tight at her sides, the nails of her fingers digging into the palms of her hands. What was the matter with her!? Why was it that any man who showed any interested in her, or who talked to her met with a horrible with death!? Why did she do the terrible things that she did!? She felt so confused!   
  
"Miss?" A faint voice sounded in her ear. Startled, April looked up to see the sales lady staring at her again.   
  
"Are you ok?" The sales lady inquired, a worried look on her face.  
  
Looking down in her hand April realized that she had been crushing an expensive negligee and tears had spilled over onto it.  
  
"Are you ok hon?" The sales lady asked again, this time, eyeing the expensive night gown.  
  
"I'm s-so sorry." April apologized. She reached up to quickly wipe her eyes. "I...I'll take this one." She stammered holding up the wrinkled negligee. She had almost forgotten why she was there.   
  
A sexy night gown was one of many garments she wore as a request from a date. The red wig she had been wearing that night at the restaurant, was Robert Norse's request. He told her that he preferred women with red hair. She had another date scheduled for tonight. What she didn't know was that he was also a married man.  
  
The sales lady led her over to the counter where she rang up the merchandise. April paid, and with a polite thank you, hurriedly made her way to the lobby.  
  
( Meanwhile, out in the lobby.......).  
  
"......yeah, well so far, there's nothing else here...except down at the Piggly-Wiggly supermarket, some genius gets hurt trying to shoplift a frozen turkey by way of his pants!" Gary complained into the phone. "Huh? No....no way Marisa! I'm not gonna touch that one! It serves him right!"  
  
Still on the lobby phone with Marisa, Gary flipped quickly through the paper in search of another headline. So far the article concerning the train accident  
had not returned. But Marisa kept insisting that he hang around the store a little while longer just to make sure the woman would be okay.   
  
At that moment, the girl stepped out into the lobby.   
  
"Hold on...I think that's her!" Gary whispered frantically into the  
phone. "M-Marisa...I..I..gotta go!"  
  
Marisa jumped as the phone on the other end clicked loudly in her ear. Holding the dead receiver, she felt relieved that the train accident wasn't going to occur. The girl was out of danger now....and so was Gary.   
  
She smiled, picturing Gary in a new relationship. She loved whenever he tried to act uninterested in a woman and by the sound of his voice...she could detect an inkling. He was interested.   
  
"Give her a try Gary." She sighed and hung up the phone.  
  
Continue to Chapter 5 (b)........ 


	6. April's Reign Chapter 5b

````````````````````  
Chapter 5-b  
  
April wanted to make certain that the handsome stranger   
saw her. As she stepped out into the lobby, she deliberately  
dropped her purse and the package. The silken negligee spilled out  
of the package onto the lobby floor along with the  
contents of her purse.  
  
"Here...let me help you with that." Gary said, rushing over to   
assist her. He tucked the paper under an arm then crouched down  
to help gather some of the items  
  
"Thank you," April said as she crouched down to help. "I can be   
so clumsy at times."   
  
As they worked to gather the items, April noticed that the  
stranger seemed a bit uncomfortable when he picked up the   
silky lingerie, his face flushing a shade of red as he lifted   
it from the floor.  
  
This guy is simply too sweet, April thought to herself. She reached   
over, and gently took the garment from him, relieving him from his   
dilemma.  
  
"Thank you," she smiled placing the lingerie back into the bag.   
"It's a wedding gift for a... friend."  
  
"Yeah." Gary murmured as the both of them rose from the floor.  
  
Looking at him, April could detect a boyish charm so different   
and unique from what she was use to in the men she dated.  
  
"April Chandler." She said, extending her hand to shake.  
  
"Oh, Gary...Gary Hobson," he said as they shook. Her hand  
soft and delicate seemed to fit perfectly in his. Oh boy.  
  
On a bench in a corner of the lobby a little old woman sat   
watching them. She had witnessed the young couple's  
"chance" meeting and introduction. She smiled at the two  
of them then winked at Gary giving her nod of approval.  
  
Feeling uneasy about the whole situation, Gary nodded   
politely at the old woman then quickly opened the door and   
he and April stepped out into the cold February air.  
  
"Well..y-you take care." He said as they headed towards their cars.  
He removed the paper from beneath his arm and opened it to check  
the headline. The article had not reappeared. Thank God.  
  
"Nice meeting you. " April said. She hadn't   
noticed a ring on his finger. She sneaked a glance at him out   
of the corner of her eye. He didn't seem to have recognized   
her from the Golden Spoon Restaurant either. Good.  
  
As they walked across the parking lot together, neither one of them   
said a word the only sound was the clicking of April's heels  
on the concrete pavement.   
  
"Well, you take care." Gary said as they reached their vehicles.   
He unlocked the door to the Bronco and climbed inside.  
  
April, unlocking her car door, was still trying to figure him out.   
Surely an adorable guy like this had to be taken. He didn't ask   
for her phone number which was strange. A man usually would   
have asked for her number by now, married or not.   
  
She glanced over at the Bronco still parked beside her car and noticed  
that several pages from the newspaper the guy had been reading had fallen   
into a puddle beside his car and he seemed to be searching for it.   
  
She placed her package into the car and made her way   
around to the driver side of the Bronco and tapped lightly on the window.   
Gary glanced up and quickly rolled down his window.  
  
"You dropped your paper." She smiled holding up the wet pages.  
  
"Oh..ah..I was just looking for it." Gary said reaching over to  
take them. "Thanks."  
  
"I suppose they're ruined now." April smiled smoothing her hair back  
from her face. Her hair the color of honey, wavered softly in the wind,  
and smelled faintly of lemon blossoms.  
  
"Yeah...well it's okay...I think." Gary laughed shaking the paper out.   
  
"Chicago Sun-times?"   
  
"Huh? Oh...yeah." Gary said holding the paper down slightly,  
to hide the date.  
  
April smiled then glanced around. "Do you know of a   
nice place to eat around here?"  
  
Gary sat, staring blankly at her. He still didn't know what had   
happen to change it the article in the paper. Maybe just his   
being here was enough to have changed the headline. But   
why? He hadn't done anything out of the ordinary.   
  
It was a moment before Gary realized that the beautiful mouth  
moving before him... was asking a question.  
  
April bit her lip, waiting for a response to the question she had  
just asked. The look on this guy's face was simply priceless.   
She was used to the "brain-block" looks she received from the  
men she chose to talk to. But the looks were never like this one.  
Simply adorable.   
  
Gary raised his eyebrows. He hadn't heard a word she said.   
"Excuse me...did you say something?"   
  
April laughed then repeated herself. "I..I'm new in town   
and don't know my way around. I was wondering if you could  
maybe...recommend a nice restaurant."  
  
Greenish-brown, April thought looking into his eyes. She loved his  
eyes. They were kind of sleepy looking and In the broad open   
daylight she could see the color of them more clearly. A mud puddlish  
green. She smiled at the thought.  
  
A gust of wind swept through suddenly, blowing the paper from   
Gary's hand. Gary's eyes flew open and he watched helplessly as   
the pages scattered across the parking lot.  
  
"S'cuse me!" He sputtered, bolting quickly from his jeep, to   
scurry after them.   
  
April stood watching as Gary scrambled across the parking lot   
trying feverishly to catch the wind carried pages. She thought   
his behavior was strange, yet she watched  
him in amusement as he scurried about. She had only known   
him for a few minutes, and already, he had captured her heart.   
  
One page landed in a puddle nearby and April dashed over to   
retrieve   
it before it was completely soaked. There were a few others   
pages   
that she was able to peel up from the damp concrete and she   
paused in her rescue to watch in awe as Gary struggled to   
retrieve one page that had flown against the antenna of a car.   
  
Gary glanced over to see her awkwardly holding on to a few   
crumpled pages she had managed to collect. She seemed   
amused at his predicament and was laughing only to stop   
abruptly to chase after another page that blew past her. Her   
light brown hair blowing gently about her as she bent   
to retrieve the newspaper from a puddle.   
  
At that moment, Gary thought she was the most beautiful sight  
he had seen in a long time. He blew out a breath then rubbed   
his face trying to block out the thought. He didn't even want to  
think about it. Besides, the paper would never allow him a   
relationship anyway.  
  
April was still holding on to the pages she had recovered but,  
she was confused. Why was this guy so concerned about a   
newspaper?  
  
They managed to collect all of the pages, and headed back   
towards their cars with Gary scanning the parking lot for any   
they might have missed. Satisfied that they had collected   
them all he suddenly felt embarrassed over his sudden outburst   
and felt a need to explain his peculiar behavior.   
  
"I'm ahhh..I...had scribbled a very important phone number on   
one of the pages," he murmured.  
  
"Really?" was April's only reply as she handed over the pages   
she had recovered.   
  
"Thanks huh?" He said, taking the paper. Out of the corner of his   
eye he observed her. Cheeks flushed pink from the wind, her blue   
eyes sparkling happily as she gently swept a wisp of hair behind   
an ear, which was a habit Gary noticed that she did. For the first   
time, he noticed the gentle cleft in her chin, and her full red lips.  
Right now, he was feeling something he hadn't felt in a long time   
and he wasn't sure if he wanted to.   
  
"Th-thanks for helping, huh?" He mumbled averting his gaze   
to focus on the disarrayed pages that he held. He hoped   
that his face hadn't revealed what he had been thinking.  
  
As they approached their cars, Gary suddenly remembered   
the question April had imposed before their little excursion,   
and his heart skipped as he contemplated asking her back to   
Mcginty's for lunch. He was hungry, and forgotten that all he'd   
had that morning was milk. But with the butterflies he was now   
feeling in his stomach, he wasn't so sure he could eat.   
  
Remembering the paper, he stole a quick glance at one of the   
crinkled pages and disappointment set in. Another headline   
had appeared, but he could barely make out the wording,   
the paper was now wet and tattered. Holding paper closer he   
struggled to read.  
  
'Child's Arm Severed In Washing machine Mishap'  
  
Oh boy. He glanced up from the article knowing that this would be  
another lunch date opportunity he would miss.  
  
To be continued................ 


	7. April's Reign Chapter 6

Chapter Six  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
"Well, I ordered fifteen cases of, Sauvignon Blanc just like   
you asked Gary," Marisa said, " and only five cases   
were delivered."  
  
"Yeah...this is the second time in a month," Gary sighed   
rubbing his temples, his voice sounding slightly irritated.  
  
The two were at their desks in the office, going over the   
books for the month. Marissa had the order book in hand,   
Gary, the Paper.   
  
Although reports on the murders seemed to had quieted   
down, the neighborshoods in the city were still in an uproar,   
thinking that the police department wasn't doing enough to   
track down the killer/killers. After the victims had been   
murdered, their bodies had been carefully hiddened so  
that by the time Gary received the paper reporting the   
murders, it would have been to late to do anything about it.   
  
Gary no longer knew about tomorrow's murder... today.  
  
"I can't concentrate," he sighed, leaning back against the   
cushion of his chair. A waive of fatigue claimed him for a   
moment and he closed his eyes.  
  
"Well, since the papers slow....why don't you go upstairs   
and try and get some rest Gary. I can finish up here, we're   
almost done anyway." Marisa offered.   
  
Marisa knew the missing cases of wine, were the last thing on   
Gary's mind and he was taking the murders much too personal.   
After all, there was only so much he could do, and with the   
murders being committed in the way they were, it was practically   
a lost cause trying to pin point it, unless you were psychic.  
  
"No...I'm just a little tired, that's all." Gary sighed, rubbing his eyes.  
  
At that moment he thought about the woman he had met in the   
lobby at the department store. The woman who had for some  
reason been spared a horrific death. He thought about the   
missed lunch opportunity with her because of the little boy   
and the washing machine incident, which was of course his  
first priority.  
  
Gary had told Marisa's about that save. How the little boy,   
around the age of five or six, had been playing around in  
the laundry room of an apartment building where he lived   
with his mother. Apparently his mother began talking   
with a neighbor right outside   
the laundry room when the little boy dropped his toy car  
into the washer just as the spin cycle was about to begin.   
He had already lifted the lid, climbed on top of the machine,   
and was about to reach inside when an out of breath Gary   
rounded the corner of the laundry room just in time to snatch the   
little boy away from basket that had began spinning at a deathly   
rate of speed. It was an old machine like most of the machines in   
the old building and was in great need of repair.   
  
After some creative explaining Gary was able to convince the irate   
mother that he had just saved her little boy from losing an arm, and   
possibly his life The young mother gasped when she saw the toy   
car in the washer. Although puzzled how Gary knew about the   
near mishap, she was crying and thanking him all the way to his   
car.  
  
His thoughts reverted back to the woman he had met that   
day at the department store and how she had helped him   
collect his Paper. He had wanted to ask her back to   
Mcginty's for lunch but, because of the urgency of the little  
boy, he ended up giving her directions to a quaint   
little restaurant just around the corner from where they   
were.....away from the danger of the railroad tracks.  
  
"Mr Hobson?" Tom, one of the bartenders was peeking   
his head in the doorway of the office.  
  
His thoughts broken, Gary looked up. "Yeah?"  
  
"You have a visitor. A detective...Brigatti?"  
  
Surprised, Gary glanced over at Marisa.   
"Brigatti," he whispered.  
  
"Humm. Wonder what she wants." Marisa murmured under her   
breath as she continued with her paper work. Gary could detect  
a hint of irritation in her voice and he glanced over at her  
and smiled. He wasn't sure how Marisa felt about Brigatti.   
  
To be continued................................. 


	8. April's Reign Chapter 7

Chapter Seven  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
Gary rose to his feet and made his way around the   
desk over to the office door. He could hear soft   
music coming from out in the bar as he opened the  
door and peeked his head out.   
  
The crowd that evening was sparse due possibly   
to the rain. He could see Brigatti standing at   
the bar her cold black hair much shorter   
than when he last saw her. Although petite,   
she still carried an attitude that made the men   
at the bar steer clear.  
  
It had been a while since Gary was cleared in the   
Scanlon murder case thanks to Brigatti's stubborn  
persistence. He and Brigatti had talked since then, but  
their conversation had consisted of nothing more than  
that of the case. Any feelings there may have been   
between either of them had been put on hold. It wasn't   
his doing but hers.   
  
She was still cold.  
  
"Hob-son. " Brigatti greeted him, enunciating each   
syllable of his name the way she usually did. Her   
dark eyes held his as he approached her. She  
still managed to stir an uneasiness in him. Brigatti   
puzzled him, made him antsey and uncomfortable.  
He didn't know if it was because she   
represented the law, something he was constantly   
trying to avoid because of his record on file or simply   
because she just did not like him. He wasn't sure if  
Brigatti even knew his first name.  
  
"Brigatti." He greeted hesitantly. "Wh-What can I do for you?  
If you're here about that unpaid fax, I-I already paid it." He  
let out a nervous chuckle sliding a hand through his  
hair.  
  
"Well, thats one less thing for me to have to worry about  
today Hob-son." Brigatti replied casually looking around.  
She turned back to face him, her gaze meeting his.  
"Thank God for small favors."  
  
Deep down inside, Brigatti knew that this was a   
good man. He had saved her life not only once but   
twice. She was relieved he had been cleared in the   
Scanlon case but still felt a bit remorse for not having  
fully believed him when he came to her for help. Still  
she had gone against her professional duty allowing  
him to escape instead of turning him in. Her heart got in   
the way that night. There was no way she could have  
turned him in let alone shoot him. She was in love with  
him.  
  
Still, Brigatti couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding   
something. He was secretive. Always in the right place   
at the right time. Or was it the wrong place at the wrong   
time which was why he had gotten mixed up in the   
Scanlon murder in the first place. She could  
never get a concrete story out of him and it frustrated  
her to no end making her tolerance for him next to nil.   
She didn't have time for hide and seek, but if he wanted  
to play games, then so be it. Besides, she liked to make  
him sweat. It was one of the qualities about him that   
appealed to her. She thought it was cute.   
  
Cute?  
  
Surprise by her own secret admission, Brigatti  
grimaced, shuddering at the thought. Now   
there was a word that hadn't graced her vocabulary   
in a while-actually quite awhile. You're gettin soft   
Brigatti, she muttered inwardly.  
  
"So," she said, "Keeping your nose clean Hob-son?"   
  
Ruffling the back of his hair, Gary nodded. "Yeah...yeah   
I'm... ah, doing m-my best Brigatti." He had noticed her  
facial grimace and shudder and it confirmed his suspicion.   
The woman did *not* like him.  
  
"Keeping up on current events?"   
  
"Howzat?"   
  
Brigatti rolled her eyes. "The *news* Hobson," she said  
emphasizing the word news.  
  
"Oh. Oh...you mean about the murders?" Gary glanced   
around the bar looking for a private place for them to talk   
and motioned her towards a quiet corner close to the office.  
"Yeah, it's been in the paper." he said in a low voice. He  
couldn't help but notice that Brigatti kept looking around too  
as if looking for someone and it made him feel a bit uneasy.  
  
"C-Can I get you something?" he asked, hoping she   
hadn't come there to tie him into the murders.  
"Coffee..or..."  
  
"No." She simply answered turning back to   
look at him. "I know how you're always out and   
about Hobson, just wanted to warn you to watch   
yourself that's all."  
  
"Me?" Gary pointed to himself. After a while he   
glanced off rubbing the back of his neck."Thanks...but  
I'm fine...I'm--"  
  
"Two things Hobson and I'll be out of your hair." She  
said cutting him off quickly. "Do you know how the   
victims were killed?"   
  
Gary blinked. The atmosphere had suddenly   
changed to serious and from the look in Brigatti's  
eyes, he was almost afraid to ask. He knew that the   
news reports hadn't given any specific details about   
the murders saying only that the victims had all died   
of gun shot wounds to the back of the head. And the  
Paper lately had been of no help.  
  
"Gun shot?" He finally answered as he fidgeting with   
a pretzel bowl that was on the counter.  
  
Irritated by the spinning bowl Brigatti reached over   
quickly and grabbed it. Holding it steady she blew out  
an impatient breath. "Not just any old gun Hobson."  
she snapped, " A miniature handgun that was specially   
made."   
  
Gary blinked. This was certainly news to him. "M-Miniature?"  
he stammered, "specially made?"  
  
"Umhum." Brigatti nodded. "A weapon so small Hobson, it   
could fit into the palm of the murder's hand and the victim  
not even see it comin."   
  
Confused, Gary ran a hand through his hair and glanced  
off thinking about the information Brigatti had just revealed.  
After a moment he glanced back down at her. "But...the news  
reports never mentioned anything about--"   
  
"That's right." Brigatti cut in sharply. " And it won't.   
You got me?"  
  
Coal black eyes burned into hazel ones as they stared  
quietly at one another. Gary finally getting her meaning,  
nodded. "Oh. Yeah, sure."   
  
Remembering Brigatti had mentioned that there   
were two things, Gary was almost afraid to ask. But   
he needed to know."W-What was the other thing?"   
he whispered.  
  
Brigatti stared at him a minute longer before her gaze   
dropped to his hand. "All of them were married."   
  
Gary frowned scratching his head. "Howzat?"  
  
Brigatti blew out an impatient breath. "You know Hobson.  
Rice, flowers and tin cans. That sort of thing..." She   
paused giving him the once over. "Got anything to   
worry about?"  
  
"Me!?" Gary was surprised by the question. He shook  
his head. "No..I-I never, I mean--"  
  
"I didn't think so!" Brigatti replied curtly cutting him off. She  
paused for a moment to survey the bar again. "I don't see   
that little blondie around anywhere. What'd she do? Get smart   
and leeev?"  
  
Gary was surprised yet again by her question, only this time  
he was a slightly annoyed.  
  
"You mean Erica!?" he asked. "I-I'm sorry Brigatti," he   
stammered shaking his head, "but are these questions  
part of police investigation or are you here to investigate   
my er, ah...life?"  
  
For what seemed like hours Brigatti stood glaring up into his  
face both-their frustration evident.   
  
" I was talking about the *cat*!" She snapped. "You *know*   
I'm allergic!"  
  
Gary thought he had gotten use to Brigatti's bullying   
tone and mannerisms. He didn't really know what her   
intentions were. But, her line of questionings this time  
were a bit misleading to him. Red faced, he ruffled the   
back of his hair in frustration.  
  
Brigatti's pager vibrated in her pocket and she took it   
out to look at it.  
  
"Winslow." She glanced back up at him. "Phone?"  
  
"It's in the office th...." Gary voice trailed off suddenly when   
the opening door to the bar caught his attention. A woman   
resembling the one who had helped him collect his paper  
in the parking lot at the department store stepped in.  
  
Noting his hesitation, Brigatti followed his gaze.   
"You know her?" she asked.  
  
Gary glanced back over at Brigatti. "Yeah...I-I think we met   
once before." He turned back to look at the woman and  
was almost certain this was the girl at the mall. "Wonder   
what she's doing here," he murmured softly to himself.   
  
The girl looked about nervously searching for a place to sit.   
The men at the bar doing double takes as she took a seat   
at the end of the bar. One guy walked over offering to buy her   
a drink to which she murmured a soft, "No thank you."  
  
"You're dooling Hobson!" Brigatti's voice cut into  
thoughts.  
  
"Huh?" Gary spun around suddenly and just barely   
caught the back of Brigatti as she stalked off towards his   
office, her shiny black hair bouncing in quick jerks as she  
went in shutting the door firmly behind her.   
  
Gary stood staring blankly at the closed office door,  
resigned to the fact that he would probably never figure   
Brigatti out. He let out a tired breath then turned back  
and quietly made his way over to the woman seated   
at the bar.   
  
He cleared his throat as he approached her. "Excuse me,"   
he said gently."Y-You all right?"  
  
The woman glanced up at him. Looking relieved when she  
saw his face and Gary knew for sure that this   
was the woman he had met.  
  
"Haven't met before?" he asked adding quickly,  
"th-that's not...a line, I just thought that well, y-you  
look familiar."  
  
"No..no." She smiled shaking her head. " I wasn't thinking   
that at all. You look familiar too."   
  
Gary extended a hand. "Gary. We met in the department   
store lobby the other day. You dropped your ah...package."  
  
April shook his hand and laughed, remembering his discomfort.  
"Yes..I remember now. You were chasing after your paper."   
  
Gary glanced off and smiled. He had forgotten all   
about chasing that damned paper. She probably thought  
he was nuts.  
  
"Oh...I'm April." She said.  
  
"I know," Gary replied, "I..I mean, I remember.  
Are you all right?" he inquired, remembering   
how disturbed she looked when she first walked in.  
  
She blew out a nervous breath, "I am now." She said   
dabbing at her forehead with the back of her hand.  
"Do you work here?"  
  
He reached behind the bar for a box of tissues and held it out  
to her. "I...ah..live here," he said taking a seat beside her.  
  
She smiled taking a tissue. "Thanks. You...live here?" She   
asked again looking around not sure she had heard him   
correctly the first time.   
  
"Right upstairs there," he motioned his chin towards the ceiling.   
"Actually, I-I own this place-well part of it anyway. My partners  
in the office there." He nodded towards the office.  
  
She nodded, glancing around again before her eyes settled  
on him. "Nice place."   
  
Gary was curious how she managed to find his place.  
He remember she said that she was new to Chicago.  
"You seem lost." He said.  
  
"Actually? I am." She admitted slightly embarrassed.  
"It's silly I know." She drew in a long breath then let  
it out. "I just came in here to get my nerve. Driving in   
the rain at night makes me all jittery."   
  
Gary sat, watching as she dabbed her forehead and   
face with the tissue.   
  
"I must look a mess" she said running a shaky hand through   
her wet hair.   
  
He closed his eyes, embarrassed that he hadn't   
been more hospitable. "I'm sorry." He apologized   
rising quickly from the bar stool. "W-Would you like   
to freshen up?"   
  
"Yes. I'd like that" She said gathering her purse and   
umbrella.  
  
Gary showed April to the ladies room just as Brigatti   
emerged from his office. He noticed the disturbed look   
on her face leaving him to suspect that another body   
had been found.  
  
"Some woman just reported her husband missing." Brigatti  
informed him she removed her gloves from her coat pocket.   
"I want to check it out. Could be nothing," she   
shrugged, " but, you never know."  
  
Gary touched the paper in his back pocket. It was all he could   
do to keep from taking a peek. Maybe it had something by  
now that he could go on. It had been a while since his last  
glance.   
  
"How long has he been missing?" he asked.  
  
"Couple of days now." Brigatti answered as she checked  
should holster. "Where's your girlfriend?" she asked   
scanning the bar again.  
  
"My what!?" Gary scowled.  
  
Brigatt didn't answer but simply stared at him while she   
prepared to leave. She buttoned up her coat then yanked  
on her gloves, her icy stare making Gary very uncomfortable   
leaving him to wonder what he had done.  
  
"What now!?" He asked, in defense of her relentless glare  
  
Silent, Brigatti made her over to the door and pulled it open.  
She paused abruptly to turn back to look at him.   
"Cassanova," she called out getting his attention.   
  
Cassanova??!! Gary scowled.  
  
"Just--.'" Brigatti hesitated as if searching for the right words  
to use. *Be*.. careful." She ordered sharply. With that she turned  
on her heel and stalked out into the night.  
  
Casanova! He frowned at the mere connotation of  
the name. He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced  
around the bar to see if anyone had heard. What was  
the matter with Brigatti anyway!   
  
Despite the rain outside, it was suddenly hot in  
there. He needed a cold beer!  
  
To be continued.................. 


	9. April's Reign Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight   
~~~~~*~~~~~   
  
Gary spotted April coming out of the ladies room looking   
even more beautiful than when she first went in. Her   
face brightened up when she saw him and as she   
made her towards him, Gary noticed that she drew quite  
a bit of attention from the male customers in the bar, turning   
down another guys offer to buy her a drink. But April seemed   
not to notice all of the attention she was getting. Her eyes   
were glued on him.   
  
"Thanks" she said, breathlessly when she finally reached   
him "I feel much better"   
  
"Good...good." Gary nodded. "Can I...ah, get you something"  
Coffee...or..."   
  
"Coffee thanks," she smiled.  
  
Gary ordered a cup of coffee and a mug of beer from   
a passing waitress, and they took a seat at a table   
near his office. He didn't want to miss Marisa when she   
came out, plus it was an easy exit in case he wanted to   
take a quick look at the paper.   
  
Settled on her seat, April seemed more relaxed and at   
ease. She folded her arms placing both elbows comfortably  
on the table. "So this is Mc-gan..Mic....."   
  
"Mc'ginty's" Gary smiled, helping her out with the pronunciation  
of the name.   
  
"Mc-gin-ty's" she repeated slowly, letting the name play   
on her tongue.   
  
"Yeah, that's right." Gary said laughing at her attempt.   
  
April was beginning to feel calm inside, almost forgetting  
how nervous she had been when she first walked in.   
This guy certainly made her feel comfortable and at ease   
which was something she had never felt with the men   
she had dated.   
  
"So how did you find this place" Gary asked, trying to make  
conversation until their refreshments arrived.   
  
April seemed caught off guard by the question. She sat   
staring across at him, her pretty blue eyes blinking thoughtfully.  
She couldn't possible tell him that she had followed him there  
the day they met at the department store. That she had trailed  
him to some old apartment buildings where she witnessed him  
coming out from the side of the building with a woman close   
on his heels, holding a little boy. She noticed that the woman   
kept thanking him over and over again all the way to his car.   
Who was that woman? Why was she thanking him? Was  
she a girlfriend? A wife? April prayed she wasn't his wife.  
  
"You're not following me are you?" Gary whispered leaning   
forward in his seat.  
  
Gary's voice broke April from her thoughts and her expression  
changed to startle this time. Gary noticed right away and   
apologized quickly. "I-I was only kidding." He said softly.  
  
"I-I'm sorry," April said drawing in a long breath. "I don't want you  
to think that I'm some kind of nut that's following  
you around...or-or something."   
  
"Oh, I wasn't thinking that at all." Gary shook his head trying   
to put her at ease.  
  
"Actually, I found this place purely by accident." She said.   
  
"Really? Humph. " Gary ran a hand across the back of his  
neck. "Small world."   
  
April returned the smile. "Yes, it is. Actually, I'm new here,   
ah...from New York and I've been here in Chicago for about six   
months. I just recently got hired on at a law firm across town."   
She motioned with a thumb over her shoulder.   
  
"Lawyer?" Gary asked.  
  
"No," April laughed. "No.I do clerical work. Filing, scheduling  
appointments, special meetings and so on." She wrinkled her   
nose. "I haven't been there long. The firm's new, just getting  
started. Davees, Davis and Daly?"   
  
Gary ran a hand across his mouth thinking to himself that   
he could have used a good lawyer when he was accused of   
Scanlon's murder.   
  
"Never heard of them." He said shaking his head.   
  
"They were formerly known as Davees, *Danado* and   
Daly. One of the lawyers suddenly disap--" April started   
but stopped abruptly in mid-sentence. She glanced down  
at her hands, "W-What I meant to say was that, one of the  
lawyers left...so they hired a new lawyer to join their team."  
  
Gary nodded, an a half grin flickered across his lips.   
  
April noticed his amusement. "What?" She smiled back.  
  
Gary laughed, "Davy...Danny er.. something. And you thought   
the name Mcginty's was difficult."   
  
April laughed and reached across the table to pick up an  
imaginary phone then placed it to her ear. "Good morning. Law   
offices of Davees, Davis, and Daly." She said in her sweetest  
voice. " May I help you?"   
  
"You do that quite well you know." Gary chuckled.   
  
"Thanks" she laughed, "But on my first day--" she  
made a face rolling her eyes upward. "I can't tell you how   
many times I flubbed that line."   
  
They shared another laugh but stopped suddenly when a loud  
boisterous whoop came from the direction of the entrance  
door. Startled, April jumped pressing a hand to her chest to  
calm herself.   
  
Gary turned around to see what the noise was all about.  
It was only a group of people coming in out of the cold and rain.   
They were laughing and jostling around with each other   
before finally taking seats at the bar. A few minutes later  
their chattering and laughter settled down as they joined  
the small crowd that was in the game room. Gary turned back   
around to face April.  
  
"You all right?" He asked softly.   
  
"Yes...I mean...I don't know" she sighed sliding her hands  
down her arms.  
  
Concerned about her, Gary searched her face. "Is there   
anything wrong?"   
  
She glanced back up at Gary her pretty eyes that were  
laughing only a minute ago showed signs of worry and fear.  
  
"It's probably nothing." She shrugged, " It's just that sometimes  
I get this feeling that someone is following me."   
  
Gary looked off towards the direction of the door   
again, then back at her. He shifted in his seat. "You think   
that someone might be following you?"   
  
April rubbed her hands up and down her arms "I'm just a little  
nervous, you know, driving in the rain and all.   
  
"Would you like if I called the police--?"   
  
"No!" She interrupted quickly, " I-I mean, no thank you. It's   
probably just my imagination I'm ok Gary, really."   
  
Gary staring at her quietly for a moment. Her words and   
actions had baffled him.   
  
The waitress appeared suddenly with their order. April smiled  
slipping her hair behind her ears, "Our beverages."   
  
Gary had completely forgotten about their order, "Oh yeah. Our  
drinks," he murmured.  
  
April smiled and inhaled the aroma of the hot coffee before   
cautiously taking a sip. The coffee was hot and warmed her  
inside. Cupping the hot mug in both hands, she settled   
comfortably on her chair looking across at Gary who, wanting  
to ease her tension, mockingly inhaled the aroma from his mug   
of beer before taking a long satisfying drink to which they both   
burst out laughing again.   
  
"Feel better now?" he asked softly wiping the foam from his  
mouth with the back of his arm.  
  
April nodded. She felt foolish about how she had acted and   
for a brief moment allowed herself to believe that maybe everything  
was going to be all right. But deep down inside, she held an awful  
secret. Things would never be all right! She knew that if she   
continued to see this beautiful man, he would probably end up   
just like all the others. Dead! Please God not him! Please help me! She  
prayed silently.   
  
To be continued....................... 


	10. April's Reign Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
Marissa was busy at her computer typing up the order for the bar when she heard the office door creek open. She raised her head. The sound coming from out in the bar was loud, then muffled as the door closed again. By the atmosphere in the room, she sense that it was Gary and that he wasn't alone. Tilting her head slightly she waited for him to clear his throat as he always did whenever he entered a room she occupied not wanting to startle her it was a common courteous thing that he did.  
  
"Ahem...Marisa?"   
  
"Gary?" Marisa sat up straight, her sightless eyes staring ahead. By the soft gentle fragrance that accompanied Gary, she could tell that the person  
he had with him was definitely female. Certainly not a fragrance she'd ever experienced on him before or Chuck for that matter. She smiled at the thought, then pictured in her mind how the one wearing it must have looked.   
  
"Marisa, I-I want you to meet someone." Gary's voice was soft and gentle. "This is April," he said.  
  
"Hello," a woman's voice greeted softly. Marisa sensed  
that a hand had been extended in greeting  
and held out hers in return. Inside she was beaming.   
So this was April.  
  
"Hi," Marisa smiled her gaze going past the two of them.  
  
"Gary's told me so much about you." The woman said, her soft hand still clutching Marisa's.  
  
"Really? Well--" Marissa stopped abruptly when suddenly an icey surge shot through her hand. She quickly released the woman hand and rubbed palms vigorously trying to get the feeling back into it as her fingers grew numb.  
  
"Marisa here is my partner," Gary said proudly.   
  
The sound of chairs scrubbing the floor caught Marisa's attention. She could tell that Gary had pulled up a couple of chairs for the two of them to sit down.  
  
"Actually, she runs the place." he continued laughing nervously as they sat down.  
  
From the sound of his voice, Marissa could tell that Gary hadn't noticed her reaction from the hand shake with April, and that he was beaming like a proud peacock. But it was what he said next, that made her blood run cold.  
  
"Marisa? April and I are getting (((MARRIED.)))"  
  
Marissa awoke with a start and shot up quickly in bed. Her hear was hammering fiercely in her chest and her mouth felt dry. It took a few minutes before she realized that she had been dreaming.   
  
Gropping the nightstand beside her bed, she felt for the glass of water that she kept there. She took a long drink then settled back against her large pillow trying to regain her senses.  
  
It was only a dream, it was only a dream, she repeated to herself taking deep breaths trying to calm herself down.  
  
What time was it?  
  
She reached over and touched the button on her alarm clock.  
  
'The time is 3:AM' the electronic voice announced   
Great! She thought and drew in a tired breath. It was   
all she needed being awake at this hour.   
She felt chilled and found herself rubbing her hands together to just to keep them warm. They were as cold as ice! The dream frightened  
her. For a moment she sat thinking about it her mind drifting back to the last time she had experienced a nightmare like this. It was the time her grandmother had passed away. It was so real in the dream, yet it wasn't until about a month later that it actually happened. She was by no means psychic, but there were times when she felt that she had the gift.  
  
This is silly, she thought to herself, blowing on her hands to warm them. She thought about April. It didn't make any sense. April seemed like a nice girl. Blinking to get a better picture in her mind, she thought back to last night when Gary had introduced her to April.  
  
She had come out of the office to tell Gary that he had a phone call, and was introduced to April then. She seemed pretty nice, and Marisa felt nothing unusual about her. Although they didn't shake hands or touch, Marisa had felt comfortable around her and was happy with the fact that Gary was finally letting down the wall he'd built up over the years. In fact, she and April had talked for a few minutes alone while Gary was in the office. Marisa actually liked her.   
  
She took another sip of water, and place the glass carefully back on the nightstand then snuggled down beneath her warm blankets. She smiled thinking how silly this whole thing was.   
  
"Gary; Married." She chuckled sleepily to herself.   
She yawned then turned over and drifted off into  
a restless sleep.  
  
To be continued................ 


	11. April's Reign Chapter 10

~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~  
Chapter Ten  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
Meow!   
  
Thump!  
  
Gary stirred, awakened by the sound of the newspaper  
hitting his door. He remembered that he no longer had an   
alarm clock and raised his head to squint groggliy at his wrist   
watch which he kept on the nightstand beside his bed.   
It was 6:30 AM.   
  
With a groan, he pulled the covers over his head and scrunched  
down deeper beneath his blanket. He wasn't ready to face what  
the paper had in store for him today and again considered   
cancelling his subscription and moving to a new state. Hawaii   
sounded like a nice place. Long stretched sandy beaches,  
warm trade winds blowing through the palm trees, the sun and   
the ocean. Peace and solitude. A mental picture of himself dressed  
like the Kahuna clutching a large surf board provoked a smile.   
Ignoring his morning wake up call, Gary slept on.  
  
He had stayed up much longer than intended with April last night.   
and the two of them had talked quite extensively. He learned   
a little bit more about her while they waited for the rain to   
subside.She was from New York, and moved to Chicago   
about six months ago. She worked as a model in New York   
city, and had been engaged to a young intern by the name of   
Peter Cohelo. She confided in Gary that Peter had been very   
controlling and overly protective of her. But she was deeply in   
love with him had accepted him marriage proposal.   
Then she discovered that he was already married. She fled  
New York and came to Chicago to try and put her life back   
together. But lately she said that things were beginning to   
happen in her life she could not understand nor explain.   
Strange things that frightened her but she would not elaborated  
any details to Gary and it only made her more upset to talk about it.  
  
Gary was concerned and wanted to do what he could to help   
her. He offered to take her home last night, but she had refused,   
assuring him that she would be ok. But Gary insisted waiting until  
it stopped raining and then trailed her home to her apartment located  
in a very nice residential area. He waited until she was safely   
inside before he drove off. She had looked so vulnerable last night   
Gary felt she needed someone to watch out for her until she   
sorted things out.  
  
Meow!!   
  
This time an annoying persistant scratching at the base of the   
door was enough to awaken Gary and he roused from his   
sleep to find himself buried beneath a wad of covers. He   
wrestled his way out and sat up on the edge of his bed scratching  
his head.   
  
Waiting to get his bearing he rose unsteadily from the bed   
squinting to bring the door into focus. Door in sight, he staggered   
towards it and flung it wide open.   
  
On the paper sat Cat, his fur, still damp from the morning  
rain. He had waited much longer than usual this   
morning while his master slept and with poise and grace  
he rose stretching long and leisurely, his green eyes blinked   
knowingly up at Gary.  
  
Meow!   
  
"Morning flea bag." Gary grumbled crouching to slide the   
paper from beneath him. Straightening up, he froze staring   
at the headline that glared back at him.  
  
'Another Body Found'  
  
Rubbing his eyes to see more clearly he began to read.  
  
"The body of a local man was found shot in the back of the   
head by a city worker late Saturday night. The workman   
who discovered the body had just clocked in for work when  
he spotted the body laying beneath a pile of wood. Apparently   
the body had been there for a few days..."  
  
Gary paused and lowered the paper to glare down at the cat   
"What do you want from me!" he lashed out. "You...you bring   
me this paper every morning, ah....much too early I might add,   
and I can live with that! But people are being murdered here,   
a-and you're not giving me anything to go on!"  
  
Cat simply yawned, his tiny mouth stretching wide revealing   
small white teeth and pink tougue that swiped out quickly   
over his face.  
  
Sliding a hand through his hair, Gary blew out a frustrated  
breath, "Well come on in," he groused, motioning for  
cat to enter. Stepping aside, Cat sauntered in.  
  
He watched Cat pad across the room to pause briefly and  
rub his body against the sofa before making his way over to the   
large window. He leaped onto the window box where he curled  
up comfortably into a ball looking out over the city.   
  
Gary closed the door then joined him on the windowsill.   
  
The wet streets below were drenced the morning cloudy  
and gray.  
  
"So much for the Kahuna." Gary muttered, his eyes dropping  
to the paper which he held and he shook it in silent frustration.  
Would there ever be an end to the senseless killings! It was   
too late for the man in the paper and the others he wasn't able  
to get to in time.   
  
"Meow." Cat purred softly.  
  
"What now." Gary groaned.  
  
His green eyes narrowing, Cat blinked at him then leaped  
from the windowsill accidently brushing the paper from Gary's  
lap causing it to spill out onto the floor.  
  
Too tired to complain, Gary shook his head and crouched down  
togather it up and immediately his attention was drawn to a small   
article in the corner of one of the pages. Rising slowly Gary read  
the article quietly,  
  
"Rebecca Danado, 53 was killed last night during a robbery   
attempt at the Quick Shop Mart-- " Gary's voice trailed off   
as the name Danado seemed to ring a bell. Where had he   
heard that name before? He scanned the article again reading  
the name of the intended victim.   
  
"Danado," he whispered, as if saying the name would stir   
something in his memory. It didn't. He checked his watch.  
It was 7:30 AM. He had really over slept. But, the robbery wasn't   
supposed to happen until later tonight. There would have plenty of   
time to get there. Laying the paper aside, he headed for the   
shower.  
  
To be continued..................... 


	12. April's Reign Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
"That will be nine dollars and ninty nine cents,"   
the cashier said, bagging the last loaf of bread.   
Shoving the over filled bag aside, she held out   
her hand for the money.   
  
Rebecca Ann Danado had just begun her shift   
that night at the Quick Shop Mart . She was a   
bit squeamish about working in an all night   
convience store. Being newly widowed at 55   
and with four children, she had no other choice   
and needed this second job to help supplement   
her income. Her husband had been murdered   
about a month ago. He had just started as part   
of a team in a new law firm, but disappeared   
sometime shortly after. He had been shot in the   
back of the head, his body found later hidden in   
a ditch on the out skirts of town. Rebecca found   
out later that he had squandered most of their   
savings, spending it lavishly on gambling, women,   
bad investments. Rebecca's heart was broken   
when she found out that he owed tons of bills and   
back taxes and after paying most of them, there   
was nothing left of their savings.  
  
The man dug into his pocket and brought out   
a crumpled up bill and tossed it onto the counter.   
  
Rebecca sighed, and picked up the money   
smoothing it out. She examined the bill closely   
seeing that it was a ten dollar bill, quickly   
tendered the amount and the drawer popped  
opened with a 'ding!'   
  
"Keep the change honey." The guy smirked as   
he picked up the bag and hurried out of the store.   
  
"Have a nice night." Rebecca said dryly. She   
placed the money inside of the cash drawer and   
slammed it shut. Blowing out a breath, she   
suddenly felt chilled and clutched her sweater closed  
at her neck for warmth. She couldn't help feeling  
nervous.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that   
the straggely looking teen who had come in   
earlier, was still standing in front of the magazine   
rack, his face buried in a magazine. He had   
been there for about twenty minutes now, and   
Rebecca was beginning to feel a little uneasy.  
  
You're just being too paranoid becky, she   
whispered to herself, trying hard to believe  
that everything would be okay. People work in   
these quick marts all the time. Piece of cake.  
To occupy her mind, she busied herself by   
straightening out the candy /gum rack and buffing  
down the glass door of the Icee machine.   
  
The bell on the door dinged and she glanced up to  
see a tall, rather goodlooking man enter. Right away   
she felt relieved just to have someone else in the   
store. The man wore a heavy tan colored coat, with  
a green turtle neck sweater underneath and a pair of   
jeans. Clean cut, face of apple pie, very good looking  
indeed she thought smiling to herself.  
  
The man nodded at her before making his way   
slowy over towards the magazine rack. As she   
observed him, she thought it was rather strange   
when he pulled a newspaper from his back pocket  
and began to read. Curious, she watched him   
as he read for a while then rolled up the paper,   
and stuffed it into his back pocket again.  
  
She watched as he began thumbing through a couple  
of magazines before striking up a conversation   
with the young man who had been standing there.   
The two talked for a few minutes and then Rebecca  
noticed that the young man seemed to get upset   
about something.   
  
"What? Who are you? Why don't you just mind   
your own business! " She heard the young man retort.   
  
The man with the newspaper, seemed to be talking  
in calm tones, as if trying to soothe the anger of the   
young boy. He said something about not wanting to   
do that, and to leave so that no one got hurt.   
  
At the word hurt, Rebecca's heart leaped and she   
quickly made her way over to beind the counter   
feeling around below it trying feverishly to locate   
the silent security alarm that was hidden there.   
Much to her mortification, it was broken and hanging   
by a wire. At that moment the younger man pulled   
out a switch blade. The man with the paper hands   
shot up in defense.   
  
"Woa!" she heard him say and Rebecca's heart   
was racing now and she made a quick move   
for the door. But she was blocked and knocked   
backwards when an even bigger man appeared  
suddenly pushing his way in roughly through the   
door.  
  
"Where you think you goin!" he snapped, grabbing  
her by the sweater. Surprised by his demeanor, she  
let out a shreik.  
  
As he held her, his angry bloodshot eyes darting   
nervously around the store. "Man whats taking you   
so long!" he yelled across the store.   
  
At that moment, Rebecca's heart flipped. This   
was a planned holdup!   
  
"Over here dog!" the skinny boy shouted back.  
He was still poised with the switch blade in hand,  
and the guy with the papers hands were still up.  
  
Pulling Rebecca along, the bigger man yanked her   
around, over to the magazine racks where his friend  
stood.   
  
"Lets go! Lets go! Lets go!" he yelled frantically  
  
"We got ah problem dog!" the younger man shouted  
back his eyes flashing with panic. "Clark Kent here."  
  
At that point, the larger guy reached into his coat,   
pulled out a gun and held it on the man with the   
paper. "C'mon man, we gotta split, ain't got no   
time, lets go!!" he yelled.  
  
Shoving Rebecca aside he grabbed the guy   
with the paper around the neck in a choke hold   
and the boy then grabbed Rebecca forcing her   
over to the cash register.   
  
"Open the drawer!" he demanded. "Hurry! hurry!   
hurry!"  
  
Rebecca's eyes were wide with sheer panic. Her knees  
were quivering as she fumbled with shaky fingers to   
accomidate the irrate boy. She pushed 'no sale cash'   
key on the register and the drawer popped open. Pushing  
her aside, the boy began stuffing the money into a   
plastic grocery bag as fast as he could, bills fluttered out,  
change--spilling out onto the floor.  
  
"Y-You don't want to do that." the guy with the newspaper  
gasped his voice raspy and nervous with the arm   
held tightly around his throat.  
  
The bigger of the men tightened his hold and sputtered  
in his ear, "Oh yeah? And what are you going to do   
about it Clark Kent, break out in your Superman getup?"   
he then rared back with his fist punching him hard in   
the ribs.   
  
Rebecca heard a sickening "Omph!!" escape the man's  
lips as he doubled over in pain, clutching at his side.   
  
"Please, just go!" she pleaded, "take the money   
and just go!"  
  
"Shut up lady!" the older man yelled. He kept looking  
at the door as the younger man grabbed cartons of   
cigarettes and began stuffing them into plastic bags.   
He then grabbed Rebecca's purse that was underneath  
the counter and dumped the contents onto the counter.  
Raking through lipstick, her compact and a few personal  
items he found her wallet and took whatever bills and   
credit cards he could find.  
  
The older man's gaze then dropped to the man on  
the floor and he kicked him this time in the side,   
yelling, "Give it up man! The wallet!, the wallet!   
C'mon!!"   
  
The man on the floor, still clutching his side,was   
breathing hard while struggling to remove his wallet  
from his pocket. Impatient, the older thug pushed   
his hands away and began to rummage through the  
man's pockets himself. Finding a wallet he flipped it   
opened and quickly took out the bills, about eighty   
dollars in tens and twentys and tossed the wallet aside.   
  
"Michael!" the man with the newpaper sputtered   
suddenly from the floor and the younger man   
immediately froze at the sound of his name. Taken  
off guard his eyes darted about frantically.  
  
"H-How do yo know my name?! Man he knows  
my name!" he shouted to his friend.  
  
"Lucky guess! C'mon, lets get outta here, this   
guy is weird!"  
  
The man from the floor was coughing, his chest   
heaving as he struggled to speak. He kept looking  
at the older guy,  
  
"No, Carl," he managed to get out between breaths,   
"No...but I tell ya, that if you...if you two walk out of here   
r-right now,... you're not going to make it. The place is   
surrounded."   
  
Slugg, the older of the two thugs was stunned and   
stopped to glared at the man on the floor, his face   
beaded in sweat. With the back of his hand, he wiped   
his mouth and his eyes now revealed panic. No one   
but no one other than his mama and closest friends  
knew him by that name! Was this some kind of set up?  
  
Rebecca was near hesterics now, and prayed   
silently that the man with the paper would just   
shut up so that the two thugs would hurry up   
and leave. How did he know that the place   
was surrounded? The darned alarm button   
was broken, so the police couldn't have gotten   
the call.  
  
From the floor, the man with the paper was still   
clutching his side, and breathing hard, his gaze   
now focused on Michael, the younger of the two   
men. "You-you have your whole life ahead of you   
Michael" he gasped, his chest heaving "don't...  
don't throw it all away"  
  
Except for the heavy breathing coming from each  
of the frightened occupants, an eerie silence   
enveloped the store.   
  
Michael was shaking nervously, pondered his   
choices. Should he ignore the man's warning   
and take a chance and make a go of it, or   
should he give up?   
  
Slugg, gun waving in the air, was cursing out loud  
now his eyes darting about in search of another  
escape route.  
  
Mrs. Danado, crouched against the wall behind   
the counter, was crying. Shaking in sheer   
panic she glanced hopelessly over at the man   
with the paper and could see that his handsome  
face bleeding, but his eyes were fixed on the two thugs.  
  
Flashing red police lights soon illuminated the   
small store, flickering in circular motions all about.   
Police radio calls could be heard outside and   
the man with the paper watched with caution the   
faces of the two thugs, not knowing what their   
next move would be, it had been a while since   
his last look at the paper, and he braced himself   
for the worse.  
  
"What are we going to do now dog..huh?!" Michael   
cried throwing his hands up in the air and stamping   
his foot in frustration, "Man, what now!"  
  
The man on the floor eye's darted towards the older   
man, not knowing what to expect from him, knowing  
that he was the one who was calling the shots. He only  
wished that Mrs Danado was a little further out of   
range, knowing she would be an easy target for them  
to grab as a hostage.  
  
"Come out with your hands up!" The police mega   
phone echoed from outside. "The place is surrounded!"  
  
To be continued...................... 


	13. April's Reign Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
Outside, several police cars surrounded the tiny   
convience store. Flashing lights in crimson red   
lit up the night reflecting against the cold black  
gravel of the parking lot giving the impression of  
Rubies that had been scattered across the rain  
washed street.  
  
Inside, all eyes were on Slugg-- the oldest   
of the two men. Hidden--crouched behind a   
large display of canned goods--his brows furrowed  
as he wrestled with a decision. A quick jerk of his   
head motioned his young accomplice over to him   
at the same time giving the man on the floor a stern  
warning not to try anything stupid.   
  
Michael moved quickly, ducking behind an   
end display of Cap'n Crunch cereal boxes,   
then took a place beside Slugg on the floor.   
For a moment the two conversed quietly with   
each other, at times their conversation rising   
in heated whispers as they argued their next move.  
  
Mrs Danado's heart was pounding fiercely in   
her chest. She turned her head toward the  
the man with the paper who was still clutching  
his side. Yet she observed him carefully soon  
puzzled by what she saw. Some how, without   
being detected, the man had managed to slip   
the newspaper he had been reading from his   
back pocket and was now secretly engrossed,  
peering up from time to time to see if he was  
being watched.  
  
Reading a newspaper, and at a time like this!   
She thought angrily. Didn't he know that he was   
risking not only his life but hers as well!  
  
The man with the paper glanced up again then  
over at her. For a second their eyes locked,   
her fearful ones pleading silently for him to behave.   
But he ignored her silent plea. Folding the   
paper carefully, he slipped it back inside of his   
coat and out of sight.  
  
"Michael" he called out, flinching in pain as   
he struggled to sit up in a more comfortable position.  
  
Slugg raised his head instead, and shot the man   
a look. "Hey! I told you to not to try anything   
stupid!"   
  
Crouching down behind a display of soft drinks, he   
rushed over quickly with his leg drawn back to kick.  
  
Clambering to get out of his way, the man on the floor   
scuffled back quickly against the wall, his hands held   
up in defense. "I-I'm not....I'm not gonna try anything!"   
he sputtered.  
  
"What do you want with Michael?? Huh?!!" Slugg  
shouted angrily.  
  
Over in a corner, Mrs. Danado held her breath,   
praying feverishly that the man with the paper   
would simply be still and not cause any more   
trouble. But she could tell by the look in his eyes   
that he wasn't through.   
  
"I-I just wanna tell Michael... to remember...th-thats   
all," the man said, bracing himself for another blow.  
  
"What!?" Slugg's face went sour. Thinking that he had  
been betrayed he spun around to look at Michael.  
  
"What's he talkin bout man? Remember what?"  
  
Puzzled, Michael shook his head slowly then glanced  
over at the man on the floor. "I don't know what he talking   
bout man! That dude's crazy!"  
  
"Well...we gotta get out of here." Slugg said, looking around.  
  
Silence.  
  
"C'mon, grab the bag of mo-"  
  
"No!" Michael shouted.  
  
Stunned, everyone in the little store grew quiet. All eyes   
were on Slugg whose glare was fixed upon Michael.   
  
"We gotta give up man." Michael said, forcing   
himself to face his freind.  
  
You gotta be kid'n me." Slugg said. "Give up!?   
Are you crazy? I ain't goin back to no jail!"   
  
Scanning the store again, Slugg found Mrs. Danado   
huddled behind the counter, shaking her eyes clenched  
tight.  
  
"We could use the old lady as a hostage-" he suggested  
waving the gun in her direction.   
  
"No!" The man with the paper shouted. " I-I mean..you...  
you don't want to do that Slugg."  
  
Mrs. Danado's eyes flew open looking desperately   
for the man with the paper. She didn't want to die   
this way! She didn't want to die on some dirty cold   
floor. She had young children at home who   
needed her!  
  
"And what do you know about it!!" Slugg yelled.  
  
"U-Use me as hostage...let the lady go." the man offered.  
"Take me...a-and let the lady go."  
  
"No!" the young boy interrupted, "It's over man. You said   
this was going to be easy...easy money! But we got   
caught! We busted man!"  
  
"You turning on me?" Slugg pointed the gun at Michael.  
  
Michael, threw his hands up in frustration."I'm not turning  
on you dog! But I can't go through with this. I thought   
it was going to be easy..you said it would be easy man!"   
He drew in a tired breath knowing that things had gotten  
way out of hand.  
  
"Look Slugg" he said trying to reason. "my old man   
was murdered some months ago...som-somebody   
killed him and the police still don't know who done it!   
My old lady is depending on me now. She needs me   
man. I have a little brother to help take care of too.   
Um all they got. "  
  
Slugg paused for a moment, his eyes searching   
that of his young companion.   
  
"So we ain't down no mo?" he asked suddenly.  
  
"Not like this man." Michael said, shaking his   
head, "it's over."  
  
"Police!" A voice from the police mega phone   
echoed loudly from outside, "Come out with your   
hands up!!"  
  
A deathly silence filled the store. Slugg stood glaring   
over at his friend, his mind wavering in indecision. He  
glance at the plastic bag they had over-stuffed with   
money and he grabbed it.  
  
"I'm going for it man.....with you or with out you!" he shouted  
sprinting for the back door.  
  
"Slugg!" the man with the paper struggled to stand.   
But it was too late. Slugg had already bolted out   
the back door and into the night. The bag of money   
he held tight in his grip, the gun in the other hand.  
  
"This is the Chicago Police!" the mega phone resonated  
loudly from outside. " Stop where you are! Put down   
your weapon!.... This is your second warning! Put down  
your weapon and raise your hands....NOW!! "  
  
Outside the sound of police sirens wailed noisily.   
But inside an eerie silence engulfed the tiny little store  
as the next sound that was heard, made everyone's  
heart stop.  
  
Pop!  
  
The lone sound of a single gun shot could be heard,   
followed quickly by the sound of several rounds of   
shots, piercing the air.  
  
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! POP!!  
  
Mrs. Danado screamed, covering her head  
with arms. She opened her eyes slowly and glanced  
over at the young man who had slunk to the floor   
with his back against a wall. His knees were drawn  
up to his chest and the knife he held was on the floor  
at his feet.   
  
Her eyes quickly sought the man with the paper   
surprised to find that was reading. He glanced up   
and over at her, then turning his attention to the   
young boy.  
  
"You-You alright Michael." he asked quietly.  
  
Michael didn't answer.  
  
"You did the right thing---"  
  
"Did I ?!!!" the boy shouted and glanced up to look  
at him. "Slugg's gone man...they shot him!"  
  
The man with the paper drew in a deep breath exhaling  
it slowly. "I-I think things are going to be okay" he   
grimaced in pain as he slid the paper back into his  
coat.  
  
Mrs. Danado sighed, feeling a sudden relief wash   
over her. She couldn't help but feel that maybe the  
man with the paper knew something more. That   
maybe everything was going to be all right.  
  
*****************  
  
"So--what were you doing at the Quick Shop Mart  
this late at night Hobson?" Brigatti inquired, stirring  
a styro foamed cup filled with hot black coffee,"Buying   
slushys?"  
  
To be continued........................ 


	14. April's Reign Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
"So what were you doing at the Quick Shop   
Mart this late at night, Hobson?" Brigatti inquired,   
stirring a Styrofoam cup filled with black coffee,   
"Buying slushys?"  
  
With tired eyes, Gary glanced up at her. His  
finger wrapped neatly in a white bandage, he   
reached over and took the coffee cup she   
held out to him.   
  
It had been a long night and at the moment,   
his side hurt, his finger throbbed and with all   
that he had gone through in the past two hours,   
he was having a hard time concentrating.  
  
"T-Thanks," he stammered, " I-I was ah, actually   
there to buy some.. ah...gum."   
  
Brigatti studied him carefully for a moment, not  
believing a word of it. When would he learn.  
  
"Really," she drawled, a bit of sarcasm tainting her   
tone. If he wanted to play, she would play. "What   
kind?" she asked.  
  
In mid-sip, Gary lowered his cup to look up at   
her, a perturb look on his face. "Huh?"  
  
"Flavor, Hobson." Brigatti's voice was bored and   
mono toned. She knew he was lying.  
  
Gary blinked and ruffled the back of his hair. Flavor   
of gum? What did that have to do with anything!?  
What did she want from him!?  
  
Temper in check, Brigatti rose swiftly from her desk,   
crossed the room to the file cabinets and pulled   
opened the large metal drawer. She didn't look   
at him as she fingered quickly through the folders   
muttering something incoherent under her breath.   
  
Looking for his file, Gary supposed, shifting nervously  
on his seat. He watched her wearily for a moment   
as she rummaged quickly through the files. Finding   
the folder she had searched so violently for, she   
snatched it out then turned around to look at him.  
  
"Well?" She inquired with one eyebrow arched.   
She would continue the silly little game if he   
wanted to play! "Juicy Fruit?" She continued.  
Maybe she could help out a little.  
  
No answer.  
  
"Peppermint?" She was glaring at him now, her   
voice sounding more irritated with each question.  
  
Looking befuddled, Gary shifted on his seat,   
scratching his head.  
  
"Spearmint?   
  
Still no answer.   
  
Wintermint? Big Red -- lia-!" she accused, slamming  
the file drawer shut with a bang, her last word "liar"   
drowned out by the sound of crashing metal.  
  
Gary jumped spilling hot coffee all over his coat.   
  
A sudden knock on the door interrupted them, and   
the door opened slightly. It was Detective Winslow.   
  
"Excuse me. " he said, peeking his head in through  
the partially opened door.  
  
Brigatti drew in an irritated breath and glanced  
up slightly annoyed. "What is it Winslow?"  
  
"How you doin', Mr. Hobson," Winslow smiled   
acknowledging Gary, his eyes surveying the spilled  
coffee down the front of Gary's coat. Clearing his   
throat, he turned his attention back to Brigatti.   
"Captain wants to see you. It's about that ah, special   
assignment?"  
  
"I'll be there in a minute." Brigatti said simply.  
  
"Right-e-o," Winslow mused, winking at Gary before   
closing the door softly.  
  
"Don't move." Brigatti ordered, tossing Gary a box   
of Kleenex before she stalked out of the office   
taking the folder with her.  
  
Relieved to get a moment alone, Gary blew out  
a tired breath and pulled a tissue from the box to  
wipe the front of his coat. His finger was throbbing  
now and the white cloth bandage that was   
wrapped around it was soaked with coffee.   
He wasn't sure how he had hurt his finger,   
but figured it happened when Slugg kicked   
him. The paramedics had examined and treated   
him on the scene. Except for the cut finger and   
his bruised side, there were no major injuries. He   
had declined a trip to the hospital which he now  
regretted.  
  
Looking around Brigatti's small office Gary found   
it surprisingly effeminate. There were a few pictures   
hanging on the wall--some were of Brigatti laughing   
surrounded by a group of her police comrades.   
Probably from her days in the police academy.   
Gary looked closer noting the smile on Brigatti's  
face. It was rare. He smiled.  
  
There were lots of awards on the wall. One that   
stood out was a large authentic looking certificate   
housed in a large wooden frame, a shiny police   
badge emblem graced the front of it.  
  
Her desk complete with computer was neatly   
arranged. Pencils and pens were kept neat in   
cylinder holders, a small vase with one single   
rose surrounded by baby's breath sat on the side.   
The back of a picture frame facing the opposite  
direction caught Gary's attention and he reached  
over and turned it around.  
  
It was an old picture of a young Brigatti, posed with  
an older woman whose white hair was pinned up  
neatly in a bun. They were smiling, their faces   
huddled close together, Brigatti's sleek black   
hair was much longer than when he had first met   
her, and it flowed about her shoulders. She   
looked sexy that way. Gary smiled. The   
two women resembled one another-- both   
women's eyes dark and piercing. Gary was curious  
about the old woman with Brigatti. Was she her   
mother? Grandmother?   
  
The clicking of heels fast approaching sounded   
out in the hall and Gary quickly returned the photo  
to its place just as the door swung open.  
  
Brigatti walked briskly in, still clutching the   
folder and closed the door behind her.   
Whipping the folder from under her arm   
she plopped down at her desk, clasped   
her fingers together and sat staring across  
at him, her dark eyes blinking, her lips tight.  
  
"Where were we?" she asked.  
  
Gary shook his head.  
  
"Lets see," Brigatti began. " We  
got a dark rainy night with wet slippery road.  
Roads--incidentally that no one in his right   
mind would be out driving around on in this  
kind of weather. We got YOU in a bronco,   
out and about, cruising--"  
  
"Cruising!" Gary scowled, interrupting her little  
scenario. "Look...Brigatti I wasn't ---!"  
  
"Cr-ui-sing--" Brigatti interrupted him, emphasizing   
each sylable of the word, her gaze burning into   
his, "...around town. Looking for what? It hasn't   
yet been established.You get this sudden   
tickle in your throat and out of all the stores   
in all the neighborhoods along the way, you   
decide to pull over to that particular store in  
that particular neighborhood, to purchase--as   
oppose to cough drops, bottled water, or   
coffee--a package of..." She paused to draw in   
a much needed breath, "Gum?!!"  
  
This struck a silence in the room as Gary sat   
staring in awe at Brigatti as if she had just  
spoken in some unknown tongue. After all   
he'd had been through tonight, he could   
not believe that she would be going on and  
on about the flavor of some stupid gum!   
  
He let out a tired breath and rubbed his face  
hard in his hands mentally kicking himself   
for turning down the opportunity to go to the   
hospital. At least there, he would have been  
shown more sympathy!  
  
Seeing that she was getting nowhere, Brigatti  
blew out a frustrated breath and leaned forward,  
on her desk. "If that question is too hard for you,   
Hob-son, let's try something a little more simple.   
How long have you known Mrs. Danado?"   
  
"Howzat?" Gary glanced up from his hands.  
  
"Mrs. Danado? The woman who was held   
up at the Quick Shop Mart?"  
  
"I-I don't know her!"  
  
"Humph!" Brigatti sat back in her seat, her dark   
eyes blinking suspiciously. "Well, she sure seemed  
to know you, Hobson, the way that she was hugging   
you when we stormed in."  
  
Now, Gary was annoyed, "I didn't know that woman!   
I-I suppose that she was just happy that someone   
else was in there with her when she was being   
robbed...I don't know!"  
  
Brigatti scribbled something down on a note   
pad in front of her.  
  
"So you never saw her before tonight?" she   
inquired pausing to look up at him.  
  
"No!" Gary shot back.  
  
"How about the kid, Michael?"   
  
"Michael?! No...no I don't know him either...look,  
why are you asking me all these questions!?"   
  
"Just trying to tie together some loose ends,   
Hobson...that's all."  
  
"What loose ends!"  
  
"You tell me," Brigatti leaned back in her chair to  
studied him for a moment. "Why is it Hobson   
that you seem to turn up in some of the most   
extraordinary circumstances?"  
  
Gary ruffled the back of his hair, "I-I don't   
know...wrong pla--"  
  
"Don't give me that wrong place, wrong time   
business or I swear I'll shoot you!" Brigatti   
snapped.  
  
Lowering her head slowly she continued   
to write. "Seems as if our little cowboy and   
Mrs. Danado has a little something in common."   
She murmured under her breath.  
  
Gary was beginning to feel very uncomfortable   
discussing anything that had to do with a murder;   
and as much as he didn't want to know, he was   
curious, "Wh-What was that?" he asked reluctantly.  
  
Brigatti glanced up and sighed, "Well, Michael's   
father was one of the victims who was murdered   
over a month ago. Shot in the back of the head   
with the same specially made caliber gun. His   
body turned up in a ditch somewhere across town...,"   
she dropped her head to continue writing. "Mrs. Danado's   
husband was also a victim of that particular type of   
killing."  
  
"Well, don't look at me!" Gary scoffed, scratching his   
head and looking around. He was eager to get out   
of there and didn't want to know any more than necessary.  
  
"Need to see a doctor, Hobson?" Brigatti asked,   
as she continued writing.  
  
Surprised at her concern, Gary eyed her suspiciously.  
He didn't think that she had noticed his discomfort.  
"No..no, I'll be all right" he stammered, "L-Look do   
you still want me?"  
  
The room grew unusually quiet, Gary's question   
resounding in Brigatti's head. She felt her face   
flush, her mind went suddenly blank." Ah..excuse  
me?"   
  
"Can I go now?" Gary asked irritably, glancing   
down at his watch.   
  
Flustered, Brigatti shook her head to clear it. "Ah..yeah  
I think we're done here for tonight, Hobson."   
  
"Good." Gary said rising quickly to leave. He started for  
the door but stopped abruptly and turned back around.   
He couldn't help wondering about the fate of Slugg the   
man who was shot. According to his paper, he knew  
that Slugg had survived but the paper didn't give any  
more details. "One more thing," he asked sheepishly.  
  
"What's that Hobson."   
  
"That guy...the gun man...Slugg? W-What happened?   
I mean is he going to be okay?"  
  
Brigatti looked up at him let out a deep breath. "Well,   
after he fired that first shot, I had to do something   
to keep him from getting hurt permanently...if you know  
what I mean. I was aiming for the hand with the gun,   
but the punk turned slightly and he got it in the---," she  
paused momentarily before continuing on. "well....let's   
just say that he'll be doing most of his time standing."  
  
Gary grimaced, " Oh. Yeah-well...see ya," he said  
quickly fumbling the door knob to open it.  
  
"Let's hope not, Hobson," Brigatti warned as the door   
closed with a thud behind him.  
  
To be continued....................... 


	15. April's Reign Chapter 14a

Chapter 14- (a)  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
The crisis was over, at least for now. As   
Gary made his way down the long corridor   
of the police station, his mind was on the   
paper. It had been a while since his last look   
and Brigatti's detaining him hadn't helped   
matters any.   
  
He slid the paper from his back pocket and  
unfolded it slowly to take a look. To his dismay,  
a new headline had appeared.  
  
'Another Body Found'  
  
What now? He groaned. The paper was being   
ruthless tonight. As he passed the elevators,   
he nodded cordially at a beefy police officer   
standing in front. Steadyng himself for another  
task, he glanced back down at the paper to   
resume reading.   
  
'The body of a man was found yesterday at a   
local bar located on Illinois and Franklin. Thomas   
Parette--" he stopped abruptly. Tom? That was  
his new bartender!  
  
"Oh boy!" He looked around to see if anyone had   
heard then glanced back down at the paper to   
continue reading.  
  
'Thomas Parette was found late last night by  
his employer Gary Hobson who is also the   
bar owner. He had been shot once in the back   
of the head at close range. Reports are sketchy   
at this time, and police aren't saying if this killing   
is related to the others that have plagued the city  
for the past month.'  
  
His heart was racing as he headed through   
the building. He spotted an officer sitting at a   
desk in the front lobby and stopped.  
  
"Excuse me. Can I use your phone?"   
  
The officer peered at him over the top of his   
spectacles, giving him the once over before   
motioning to some phone booths through the   
bullet proof glass doors leading out into the   
lobby of the building.  
  
"Thanks." Gary nodded making his way out to   
the phones. He checked his watch. It was now   
passed 9 PM. Tom should still be there. He dialed  
the number to the bar hoping that he wasn't too late.   
  
"Good evening, Mcginty's." A male voice answered.  
  
"Tom."  
  
"Mr. Hobson, " Tom greeted, "Good evening sir.   
You had a visitor tonight."   
  
"Howzat?"  
  
"That woman who was here last night."  
  
"Who would that be Tom?" Gary asked preoccupied  
with the headline in the paper. The article was still  
there and he had to figure out a way to get Tom out of  
the bar.   
  
"Not the detective," Tom continued, "but the other   
pretty one. The one you were talking to at the bar."  
  
"Ah, thanks--listen Tom--let me speak to Marissa  
would ya please.?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
There was a short pause, and then a rustling   
sound as Tom passed the phone to Marissa.  
  
"Gary?"  
  
"Marissa."  
  
"Gary? It's late. Whats the matter, what's   
wrong?"  
  
"That's what I want to know. Is everything all   
right there?" Gary asked.  
  
"Yeah...everything's fine--whats wrong? Are   
you all right? You sound awful."   
  
"Yeah...I-I'm fine." he answered, wincing as a pain  
shot through his side where he had been kicked.   
  
Marissa knew Gary's tone, and that something was   
wrong. "Did you stop the robbery?" she asked, keeping  
her voice to a whisper.  
  
He was tired and had almost forgotten about   
the robbery. He glanced around the lobby and   
noticed a police officer bringing in a couple of ladies  
of the evening handcuffed and not very happy about it.  
He waited until they passed before he continued.   
"Yeah, everything's fine--I'll tell you about it later.   
Look, I--I need you to do something for me."  
  
"Sure Gary."  
  
He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I--I need you to   
phone the police and tell them that you think that   
someone might be trying to break into the Mcginty's van."  
  
"Gary?" Marissa's voice was surprised."What   
are you talking about?"  
  
"Just listen to me Marissa." he said trying to sound calm.  
"Call the police station and tell them that you think there  
might be a burglary in progress a-and get them to survey  
the area too. I'll tell you about it when I get there."  
  
"Burglary?"  
  
"Never mind....just do it. I'll explain everything when  
I get there." he whispered.  
  
"Yeah... sure Gary." Marissa said softly.  
  
"Ok." he said and drew in a tired  
glanced up to find the officer at the desk eyeing him  
suspiciously.  
  
"Marissa, I--I gotta go."  
  
"Ok."   
  
"But you need to call the cops right away." He reminded   
her hurriedly.  
  
"I will as soon as you get off the phone Gary,"   
Marissa sang.  
  
"Oh--well, bye." He hung up quickly and again glanced  
at the paper. The headline was still there.   
  
Stuffing the paper back into his pocket, he hurried   
out the door.  
  
To be continued....................... 


	16. April's Reign Chapter 14b

Chapter 14 - (b)   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Gary's bronco pulled up in front of Mcginty's and   
he cut off the engine. For a moment he sat looking  
around. It had stopped raining for the time being.   
By the dim glow of the street light, he glanced  
at his watch to check the time. It was 10:00 pm.   
  
Opening the paper he held it up to the light to   
see clearly. The headline about Tom's murder was  
no longer there and he heaved breath of relief.  
Calling the cops seemed to have helped.   
  
As he stepped out of the bronco he glanced around  
the darken shadows of the building and surrounding  
streets. It was hard to believe that a murder was to  
have taken place here tonight. He felt a sudden chill   
quickly tugged up his coat collar and walked hurriedly   
into the bar.   
  
Inside, the music was playing softly with only a   
few people scattered about. A small group   
sat at the bar while others watched the news   
on the small TV over the counter.   
  
Marissa was sitting at a table by the office door   
writing something in a notebook and raised her  
head as Gary walked up to her. She knew his smell.  
  
"Gary...are you ok?" she asked, concerned.   
  
"Yeah, I'm fine" Gary mumbled looking around for   
Tom then spotting him talking with a customer.  
  
Tom looked up and spotted him, then made his way   
over.  
  
"Mr. Hobson, can I get you something?" he asked   
leaning on the counter.  
  
"Yeah Tom. Aspirin... a..and a glass of water would   
you please." Gary said plopping down into a chair.  
  
"Tough day huh?" Marissa asked putting down her   
pen, and paper work.  
  
"If you only knew," Gary sighed, rubbing his face   
in his hands. "It's been a long night."  
  
"I can tell. You sound exhausted"   
  
"Did you call the cops?" Gary whispered glancing  
up from his hands. He wanted to be sure.  
  
"Yeah, I did just like you asked." she said, "They poked   
around outside for a while but...saw nothing."  
  
"Good....good." he sighed rubbing his side.  
  
"So... you were able to save the woman?"   
  
"Yeah, if you want to call it that." he said, not wanting   
to go into any details at the moment.  
  
"Hungry?" Marissa asked, knowing that he probably   
hadn't eaten since that morning.  
  
Tom appeared with the bottle of aspirin, and a glass  
of water and Gary downed them both in one motion before  
he answered.  
  
"No...not right now. I think I'll go shower, and lie down   
for a minute." he said, clunking the glass down on the table.   
  
"Ok...but you were going to tell me something."   
Marissa said reminding him.  
  
"Oh it..it was nothing." Gary said warily, trying to   
dismiss it. There was no need to worry her, and   
besides, the murder wasn't going to occur. Something   
had changed it. Maybe it was the police's presence   
around the bar that night. He didn't know for sure.  
  
"I do want you and Tom to go home early tonight."   
he suggested.  
  
"What are you talking about Gary?"  
  
"I ..I just feel we should shut down the bar   
early tonight that's all."  
  
"Something to do with the paper?" Marissa   
asked, her eyes staring blankly past him.  
  
Gary, glanced over at her and drew in a tired  
breath,"Yeah," he admitted hesitantly.  
  
"What? Tell me."  
  
Gary thought for a moment, then he glanced around   
the bar before leaning forward. "The bar was supposed  
to have been burglarized tonight Marissa." he explained.  
"According to the paper, a male employee was   
supposed to be seriously hurt. I-I figure that was   
Tom. But something happened...th...that changed it."   
  
"Tom was supposed to have gotten hurt?" Marissa   
sat up in her seat.  
  
Gary drew in a breath thinking he should have   
waited to tell her. "Yeah...but after you called the   
cops, it changed. Must have frightened them   
off." he said.  
  
"This is scary Gary" Marissa said. She felt a sudden  
chill and rubbed her hands up and down her arms.  
  
"Yeah...but it's okay now." he assured her.   
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"Of course I'm sure, it's no longer in the paper"   
  
"So what are we going to do?"  
  
Gary looked over at his friend. He worried about her   
safety too and didn't want her anywhere near the   
bar tonight just in case the or whoever returned.   
  
"We're not doing anything, it changed, and t-that's   
it." he grumbled, "Toms okay that's all that matters."   
  
They were both quiet for a moment. Remembering  
that April had been there earlier he quickly changed  
the subject.  
  
"What did you tell April?"   
  
"Oh, I told her that you were out on an errand, and that   
you would call her when you got in." Marissa smiled.  
  
"Well,...thats good." he nodded. "That's good."  
  
"She left something for you though."  
  
"She what?"   
  
Marissa slid a small white envelope from beneath her   
pile of notebooks and handed it to him.   
  
"What's this?" he asked.   
  
"It feels like an envelope to me Gary." she smiled   
settling on her seat, anticipating what was inside.  
  
Gary shot her a look before he opened the envelope.  
He removed the small letter inside, and unfolded it slowly.   
The handwriting was the neatest he had ever seen,  
written in pink ink. He read the note to himself.  
  
Gary,  
  
I really enjoyed the company that we shared the   
other night, and just wanted to thank you for the   
kindness that you've shown me. You are a very   
pecial man Gary Hobson, and if you weren't aware  
if it, I just wanted to tell you. In person would have   
been nice, but you weren't here. Some lucky lady   
will win your heart some day, if you are willing....  
  
Affectionately yours,  
  
April  
  
Folding the letter, Gary tucked it back inside of the   
nvelope and slip it into his coat pocket.   
  
Silence.  
  
"Well?"   
  
"Well, what?"   
  
"What's it say?" Marissa grinned, crinkling her nose  
at him teasingly. Resting her chin in the palm of her   
hand she waited patiently for the juicly details.  
  
Gary stared at her for a moment, before leaning forward   
to whisper in her ear, "She wants to borrow the cat."  
  
"Gary!" Marissa shrieked, surprised by his unexpected  
answer and his breath tickling her ear.  
  
"Right now, I have a phone call to make. A-And I want   
you to get Tom to drive you home." he said rising  
rather stiffly from his seat. "Close up early tonight."   
he reminded her as he headed towards the office.  
  
"Sure Gary." Marissa answered softly. She knew it   
was useless trying to talk him into staying opened.   
The danger was over according to the paper, but  
if he wanted to close, then she would respect his   
wishes.   
  
"Ah, Gary." She called to him over her shoulder.  
  
"Huh?" he turned around.   
  
Looking preplexed she asked, "You didn't happen  
to take Tom's key to the bar by accident when you   
left this evening, did you?"  
  
Gary paused, sliding his hands over his pockets.  
"No....no I just have mine."  
  
"Humm...it's probably nothing." she murmured  
thoughtfully. " I'm sure it'll turn up."  
  
"Yeah." he said, turning to leave.  
  
"Oh--and Gary?" Marissa called again.  
  
Slightly irritated, Gary paused to turn back   
around. "What."   
  
"Take care of that finger will you."  
  
Surprised, Gary blinked, his gaze dropping to his   
bandaged finger. How does she do that? he frowned  
glancing back up at her.   
  
Marissa smiled and opened her notebook. "I felt the   
bandage when I handed you the ahh...letter."  
  
"Oh." Scratching his head he shot her another bewildered  
look before he exited the bar.  
  
To be continued.......................... 


	17. April's Reign Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
The hot water felt good as it burst from the shower  
head with a vengeful force, hitting his neck, shoulders   
and back. Gary felt his whole body relax under the   
waters tension relieving pressure. He leaned foreword   
letting the water run through his hair then turned his face   
up to the spray letting it wash away the blood and grime   
from his ordeal of that day.  
  
His rib cage felt like it had been crushed where he had   
been kicked and he winced as the water beat down over  
the bruises. The bandage on his finger was now merely   
a soaked piece of cloth.  
  
His headache was beginning to subside thanks to the   
aspirin he had taken earlier, and right now he was glad  
to have a break from the paper, at least for the rest of the   
evening. The thought of seeing April weighed heavily on   
his mind. Marisa had mentioned that she seemed upset  
tonight when she came to the bar. He wondered if she   
had been having those strange feelings again. He would   
give her a call.  
  
Shutting off the water, he reached for a large towel and   
wrapped it around his waist then stepped from the shower   
into the warmth of his bedroom.   
  
He got dressed pulling on a clean pair of sweats and cotton   
socks then eased back across his bed to stare at the   
ceiling thinking about everything that had transpired that   
day. The hold up the corner store, the young kid Michael,   
Slugg and Mrs. Danado.   
  
The name Danado still puzzled him, but the headline concerning   
Tom puzzled him even more and he knew that he wasn't going   
to rest until he figured out that was going on. Someone was   
supposed to have entered the bar tonight and attack Tom.   
But who?   
  
He reached for the paper on his night stand. With tired   
eyes he scanned it once again to make sure the article hadn't   
reappeared. It hadn't.  
  
He reached for the letter April had written him and read it again  
then closed his eyes wanting to rest them for a few minutes before he   
gave her a call. It wasn't long before he was snoring.  
  
In the middle of the night, he stirred awaken by the fresh   
scent of lemon blossoms about him and he drew in a deep  
breath. He was going to have to thank Marisa for doing his   
laundry. Shifting to get into a better position, his knee rested  
against something uniquely soft. Then it moaned then moved   
slightly. Gary's eyes sprung open. Pillows don't moan or move!   
In the darkness beside him he could see a bundle rising and   
falling gently in slow rhythmic motions. He bolted up in bed.   
Cat?? He blinked trying to make out the figure in the darkness   
beside him. N-No cat was that big! Reaching over quickly, he   
fumbled for the lamp switch beside his bed and snapped on   
the light. It was April fast asleep, her hair spilled about his pillow.   
  
Gary frowned, puzzled. What was she doing here? How did   
she---?? He spun around to look at his front door. How the did she   
get in his room--how the hell did she get in the bar???  
  
He glanced back down at her sleeping soundly beside him.   
Her back was to him and she was still fully dressed, curled up   
in a fetal position--the covers she had pulled haphazardly   
over her small frame for warmth.  
  
Oh boy. He picked up his wrist watch to take a look at the   
time. It was 3:25 am. Now what. He blew out a tired breath.  
He hated to wake her but he was in great need of sleep himself.   
He glanced down wearily at his warm bed, then over at the cold  
sofa in front the window. Rubbing his forehead in his hands he  
debated his next move,  
  
"Couch," he grumbled grabbing his pillow.   
  
He clicked off the light and rose carefully from the bed  
pulling the covers over April's uncovered shoulder. She stirred   
moaning softly and rolled over wiping her eyes,  
  
"Gary," She murmured sleepily.  
  
"It's okay," he whispered, "go back to sleep, we'll talk in the morning."  
  
"I'm sorry." she apologized  
  
"It's okay" he whispered. "W-We'll talk in the morning."  
  
Her lashes fluttered before she closed her eyes and drifted  
back to sleep.  
  
Grabbing a blanket from the closet, he settled   
down on the sofa giving his pillow a few punches to   
fluff it then pulled his blanket around him for warmth.  
  
In the darkness he studied April sleeping soundly, as if she hadn't   
had a good night's sleep in quite a while. The moon shone brightly   
through the bed room window casting a bluish glow across her face.  
  
Gary was perplexed, as he watched her sleeping soundly. He   
wondered how she had gotten into his apartment or if he had  
left his door open. Maybe Marisa let her in. But then, he knew  
Marisa and she wouldn't have let her in without letting him  
know about it.   
  
As he sat there, he thought about the train accident that,   
thank God, didn't happen. Their first meeting in the store  
and the spilled contents of her package on the lobby floor.  
How she had helped him gather his paper in the parking lot.   
The way she looked as the wind blew through her hair that day.  
He sighed rubbing his face in his hands. As much as he hated   
to admit it--he had a feeling that he was falling in love with her.  
  
From outside, the sound of a car starting up drew his   
attention. Gary glanced towards the window. The engine   
hummed quietly for a few minutes before the car pulled off slowly  
the sound fading in the distance as it drove away.   
  
Brushing it off and he drew his blanket tighter around himself and   
settled back against his pillow.  
  
Sitting there he thought again about what April had told him about   
her life in New York, her fiancee ... ex fiancee, he quickly   
reminded himself. He felt guilty for not calling her last night.  
  
Through the large picture window, the street light from out side  
reflected off of something shiny on the coffee table and Gary leaned   
forward to take a closer look. It was the silver ring on Tom's key   
chain to the bar. He reached over and picked it up to examine it closely.  
The key wasn't on the table last night, at least he hadn't noticed it.   
He glanced back over at April sleeping soundly. Did she…?  
  
Aaargghh! It was late, he was tired and was thinking way too hard..   
He slid down under the blanket, trying to get comfortable. He just  
had to get some sleep or he would be useless in the morning.  
  
To be continued........................... 


	18. April's Reign Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
Something fluttered gently across his lashes and Gary stirred   
swiping sleepily at his face. Pesky fly! He mumbled. He frowned  
and turned over on his stomach and drifted back to sleep.   
  
A tickle on his ear, again, he brushed at his face, murmured  
something incoherent about the cat and fell back into a deep sleep.  
  
This time there was pressure on his lips, although gentle,  
it was enough to awaken him, and his eyes fluttered open.  
  
Suspended in that strange state somewhere between   
sleep and consciousness his eyes were open, but not  
really focused on anything.  
  
"Morning." A soft voice greeted him.   
  
He blinked trying to make out of the blurred figure sitting   
beside him. The clean scent of lemon blossoms surrounded   
him as his brain struggled to connect with reality. Through  
sleepy eyes, he watched the figure for a moment. Maybe it   
was----an Angel.  
  
The 'Angel', holding the cat smiled at him.  
  
"I hated to wake you." she said, "You were sleeping so   
peacefully"  
  
His brain starting to connect, Gary realized that he was   
on his stomach and turned painfully over on his back.   
Running his fingers through his hair, he did a quick survey of   
his loft. Why was he on the sofa? He leaned his head back   
against his pillow his eyes settling on the woman sitting  
next to him, and then he remembered.  
  
"Morning." He murmured hoarsely.  
  
April smiled. She had studied him sleeping peacefully, and   
with gentle fingers had traced his face, thick brows and dark   
lashes. His lips were more than she could bear, and while   
he slept, she kissed them.   
  
Hair tousled across his forehead, Gary lay there   
peering at her through sleepy eyes, everything still hazy.   
He figured she must have taken a shower because  
her hair was still damp, and she was wearing his bathrobe   
which was a couple sizes too big for her and had slipped  
a little off her shoulder revealing soft skin. He drew in a   
breath. She smelled good, like the fresh morning of spring.   
  
The sun streaming in through the window shone brightly   
on her face which had been scrubbed clean. The tiny diamond   
studs in her ears twinkled whenever she moved and at that   
moment Gary thought she looked more beautiful than ever.   
  
Sun.   
  
"We have sun?" he asked raising his head slightly to squint  
towards the window.  
  
"For a little while anyway." April laughed nervously,   
turning around to look. She was glad that he had broken  
the silence.   
  
For a moment both of them sat quietly, enjoying their   
brief ray of sunshine. But as the sun faded subtly, so  
did their smiles, both of them realizing that there was some   
explaining to be done. Biting her lip, April turned slowly   
back around to find him already watching her.   
  
She glanced down at her attire."I hope you don't mind,   
I-I borrowed your robe," she said tugging nervously at   
the oversized robe. She was trying to stall for time and  
didn't exactly know where to begin.  
  
"Oh no-thats...that's okay." Gary assured her.   
  
"I-I sort of ... borrowed the key too, " she confessed,   
tucking a wet lock of hair behind an ear.  
  
Tom's key. So she did take it.  
  
Gary ran a hand through his hair, this time he simply nodded.   
  
Rising slowly, April placed the cat on the   
floor and walked towards the large window  
to peer out. Gary averted his eyes quickly  
to avoid a shapely leg and thigh that flashed   
briefly as she moved. He cleared his throat   
and sat up "I..I meant to call you last night.  
I ahh, fell asleep. I'm sorry."   
  
April turned around and smiled. Her clear blue   
eyes searching his face. "You must have been   
very tired."  
  
"A little." He chuckled, reflecting on everything that   
happened last night.  
  
"Thanks for the...bed." she said sounding slightly   
embarrassed.  
  
Gary blinked. "You're welcome."  
  
"Meow" Cat purred, slinking gracefully around April's   
bare feet. She bent down to pick him up, the robe slipping   
slightly off her shoulder again.   
  
Oh boy!  
  
More leg flashed through the slit where the robe tied in front as   
she straightened.   
  
"She's adorable." April cooed rubbing her face on Cat's soft fur.  
  
"He." Gary corrected, scratching his head.  
  
April glanced up, her eyebrows raised. "He?"  
  
Gary nodded hesitantly feeling suddenly foolish for making  
a big deal about it.   
  
April smiled cuddling the cat closer, "Well he's adorable,"   
she said tickling the cat under the chin. She glanced over  
at Gary. "And so are you Gary Hobson."  
  
Gary raised his eyebrows. "Me? Oh...well ..I-I'm kind   
of.. a mess m-most mornings--"   
  
"I-I've never met anyone like you before," she said, interrupting   
him. Her expression turned thoughtful, "I..I mean you're so   
caring, and sweet and gentle---" she paused. "I know that  
I have some explaining to do and that taking that key was   
wrong."  
  
"It's okay." he assured her softly.  
  
"I-I needed some place to go. I couldn't think of any  
place else to go...."  
  
Gary studied her for a moment. "Were you having those  
feelings again?" he asked.  
  
She nodded. "But it was more than that. I had the strangest  
feeling someone had been in my apartment, going through  
my things." She stopped abruptly and turned to face the   
window again, "I-I'm sorry, my coming here was wrong--I   
shouldn't have come here." she stammered.  
  
" W-We could get the police."  
  
"No." April said quickly. "I-I mean...I think I should go." she  
said placing the cat on the floor.  
  
What had he said wrong? Untangling himself from his blanket  
Gary scrambled quickly over the back of the couch and   
stepped in front, both hands held up, "W-Wait a minute" he   
stammered confused. "Wh-Where are you going?"  
  
Looking distressed April shook her head. "I'm sorry, I-I shouldn't   
have come here"  
  
"I-I don't understand..look..talk to me April."  
  
  
I mean, first you break into my apartment   
and then say that you are leaving? Don't you think that you owe   
me an ex---"  
  
"Okay." April said cutting him off. Looking up at him, her eyes   
full of hurt, then tears registering in them as she began slowly   
untying the robe, the shoulder slipping down off of   
her shoulder even further.  
  
Gary frowned, his expression confused. "W-What are you   
doing?"  
  
"It's what you expect...isn't it? " April answered curtly.  
  
"No!" Gary shot back, "I mean, no--what are you saying?"  
  
"It's what most men expect from me." April answered, the robe  
completely undone now.   
  
"W-Well I'm not most men!" Gary said, angrily. He reached over  
pulling the robe gently back onto her shoulder. "Don't...don't do that.  
You misunderstood what I was trying to say."  
  
April paused looking up at him her eyes tearful. She reached   
up wrapping her arms about his neck and held on gently, but   
firmly, as if her whole life depended on it.   
  
"I'm sorry Gary." she cried softly.  
  
Stunned, Gary stood with his arms out, totally unprepared for   
this response. He didn't know what was bothering her but   
whatever it was, it certainly had her acting irrational.  
He reached up to pull her arms gently down by her sides  
to look at her.   
  
"W-What is it? What's bothering you?" he asked.  
  
Her answer was a tender kiss upon his lips, again, catching   
him off guard. Gary was stunned, not knowing what her intentions  
were accepted the kiss, but didn't return it. The sudden knock at  
caused April to jump slightly and she pulled back, her eyes wide   
with worry.  
  
"S-Somebody's at the...ahh...I-I'll get it." Gary, stammered clearing his throat.   
  
Still reeling from the kiss, he moved unsteadily towards the door,   
while looking back at her.  
  
He opened the door to find Marisa standing outside with a   
worried look on her face and the paper in hand. Gary glanced   
back at April, then at Marisa again.   
  
"Everything okay?" he asked. Now he was worried.  
  
"Gary." Marissa said sounding relieved, "Yeah...everything's fine.   
I just came up to see if you were all right. It was after eight and   
you hadn't come down."  
  
Gary ruffled the back of his hair. "I-I ah, kind of over slept."   
  
"Are you all right?" Marissa inquired, sensing something   
wrong in his tone and demeanor.  
  
"Yeah...I-I'm fine Marisa." Gary answered knowing that she could  
read him like a book. He glanced back again at April standing   
there clad in nothing, he had discovered, but his bath robe.  
  
"Ahh, April's here Marisa." He stammered, "You remember   
April don't you?"   
  
There was an awkward silence before Marisa responded.  
  
"Oh?" she swallowed, her tone mingled with both surprise and  
embarrassment at the same time. It wasn't like Gary to have   
female company overnight. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude--"  
  
"Of course you're not intruding." Gary scowled, running a hand   
across the back of his neck.  
  
"Hi" April said softly.  
  
"Hi" Marisa smiled. "Nice meeting you again."   
  
"Nice meeting you again too." April smiled back.  
  
"Gary you forgot your paper." Marissa said handing him  
the paper. It wasn't like him to forget that paper either,   
she thought.   
  
"Thanks." he murmured.  
  
April smiled, motioning towards the bathroom, "Could you two  
excuse me for a moment. I should get dressed.......er....I mean--"   
she paused biting her lip. "Excuse me please." She said shyly then  
headed for the bathroom.  
  
Marisa smiled, nodding as April walk past. An uneasy silence   
filled the room as she stood staring blankly at Gary the corners of her  
mouth drawn up in a knowing smile. Gary waited until he heard  
the click of the bathroom door closing before he spoke.  
  
"It's not how it looks!" he whispered irritably.  
  
"I didn't say anything." Marisa whispered back innocently.  
  
"Yeah but you were thinking it!"   
  
"Thinking what Gary?"  
  
"Th-Thinking....wh-whatever it was you were thinking!"  
  
"Uh-humm" Marisa smiled crossing her arms her   
eyebrows raised.  
  
"Now w-what's that supposed to mean?"   
  
"Nothing Gary. I-I mean you're a grown man, and if you choose   
to have a woman over for the night then...that's your business"  
  
"I didn't have her over the night--I mean--" he stopped abruptly  
frustrated that he felt compel to confide everything to Marisa.  
  
He watched as Marisa felt her way carefully around the sofa   
patting it cautiously at first before taking a seat on the arm.   
  
"I hope you slept soundly." She remarked, with a smile.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"This sofa can be pretty hard on the backside sometimes"   
she said, lifting his blanket.  
  
"Yeah ... well when I woke up early this morning, sh..she was here,"   
he whispered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"April. Sh-She was already here. I think it was around 3:00 O'clock  
in this morning. "Gary stammered. " Right here. In the loft."  
  
Marisa's look turned serious as she thought about Tom's missing key.  
  
"Tom's key?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Wow." She said, reflecting on the dream she had had a couple  
of nights before. She hadn't mentioned it to Gary, feeling it was   
nothing and didn't want to upset him. Either April *was* trouble,   
or she was in a lot of it.  
  
"Gary," she stammered, "I think we should talk."  
  
To be continued..................................... 


	19. April's Reign Chapter 17a

Chapter 17- (a)  
~~~~~~~~~~  
It had been two weeks since they first met,   
and Gary knew that he was in love with April.   
He never pressured her into telling him what   
was bothering her. He didn't want her to feel  
pressured hoping that in time she would feel  
safe enough to open up to him. In the meantime  
he loved seeing her happy. He loved her spirit  
and spontaneous nature. She was the excitement  
in his life after a long tiring day and for once Gary   
seemed happy more involved. Marisa noticed it   
right away. There were mornings when he would   
actually come downstairs whistling. Although   
ecstatic for him, Marisa couldn't help feeling uneasy.  
  
The dream that she had several weeks ago still disturbed   
her, but she kept it to herself, not wanting to rain on his   
happiness. Besides, she was probably imagining things   
anyway. She had wanted to tell him about it that day   
she'd found out April had taken Tom's key to the bar,   
but decided against it and ended up telling him   
something pertaining to the business of the   
bar instead.   
  
April seemed very nice and was very attentive towards   
Gary, perhaps a little too attentive. Marisa recalled   
one day when she had gone up to Gary's loft to get   
something only to find April there tiding up the place.  
Had she spent the night? Gary hadn't mentioned   
giving April a key to his apartment, but knowing Gary,   
he had probably forgotten to tell her about it. Besides   
what he did with his personal life was his business.  
  
As for Gary, it was hard trying to conceal the paper   
from April, always having to explain his continual   
excuses to go to the men's room or to make a phone   
call when out on a date with her. He hated lying to   
her but he wasn't ready to tell her about the paper.   
April, on the other hand was happy and content just   
being with Gary. She felt safe with him and he was far  
different somehow from any other man she had ever   
dated. Kind and gentle with her. Sweet and caring   
but not controlling. In the past, men had always treated   
her like an ornament, constantly reminding her of how   
pretty she was. But with Gary things were different.   
He hadn't told her yet that she was beautiful, didn't   
gush all over her and April was beginning to wonder  
whether or not she was attractive to him.   
  
The two of them had been seeing each other for   
weeks now and not once had Gary tried to make   
a move on her which was something April wasn't   
use to, but it was a welcomed change. She had   
finally found someone that she could give her all   
to without any strings attached.   
  
April had however, noticed his preoccupation   
with the paper, but never really questioned him   
about it or his peculiar behavior. She trusted him.   
She had fallen in love with him.   
  
Fortunately the shooting deaths seemed to have   
ceased. The paper hadn't been of much help anyway   
and Gary was still at a loss as to why. As the weeks   
rolled by, Gary's duties with the paper continued.   
  
But there was something happening to Gary that   
was very disturbing during those weeks. Lately, he   
himself was beginning to feel spooked and uneasy.   
There were times when after a date with April he felt   
that he was being followed. Twice after returning home   
late from a save he had awakened to the sound of a   
car pulling off from the side of the bar. A couple of times,   
he had found the bar in disarray, as if someone had   
been inside looking for something. It made the hairs   
on the back of his neck stand up. But he kept it from   
April, not wanting to upset her again.   
  
Although the shooting deaths appeared to have   
ceased, Brigatti however, was still on the job, and   
once again, Gary found himself in her office,   
the 'object of her affection.'   
  
To be continued........................ 


	20. April's Reign Chapter 17b

Chapter 17-(b)  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"How are things going with you, Hobson?" Brigatti   
inquired as she entered her office carrying a large   
manila envelope. Gary, already seated, noticed as   
she removed her coat, that she was still wearing her   
shoulder holster and bullet proof vest, the gun flashing  
briefly as she hung up her coat. Pushing up her sleeves,   
she sat down briskly in her swivel chair across from him.  
  
"I'm.. ah...doing okay--look, why am I here?" Gary   
asked trying to sound calm  
  
Brigatti had phoned him to request that he come   
down to the police station to answer a few questions  
for her. Although he hadn't be subpoenaed, Gary knew   
that if Brigatti wanted to see him for questioning he could  
either come down willingly or her way. He chose to go   
willingly.   
  
He was exhausted and it had already been a busy day   
starting off with having to chase down a   
taxi which had taken off with an old woman's purse  
still on the back-seat. The purse contained most   
of her life savings. After returning it to her safely, it  
was all Gary could do to get away from the woman   
who began smothering him with kisses and hugs.  
  
Later that day, he had prevented two Pitt   
Bulls from attacking a young woman returning  
home to her apartment. He had first alerted the   
animal authorities of the unchained animals, and   
then watched from a distance as the huge beasts  
were caught and muzzled before being hauled off to   
the animal shelter. Across town, at a local park, he   
had prevented the death of a young child by stopping   
an older boy from performing a deadly wrestling   
maneuver on him. The older boy, about age 11,   
had seen the move performed by one of his favorite   
wrestlers on television the night before.  
  
Right now Gary was irritable. Glancing over at Brigatti,   
he wondered what she could possibly want with   
him now.  
  
"I've been doing a little investigating Hobson." Brigatti  
informed him tapping her pen idly on her desk   
while studying him carefully.   
  
"And w-what has that got to do with me?" Gary asked  
trying to keep his voice calm.  
  
"Well," Brigatti sighed, "I have a little problem here   
and I was just wondering if you could, you know, help   
me out."   
  
Not wanting to get involved, Gary shook his   
head, "Well...I-I don' know anyth--"   
  
"It's about my job," she said cutting him off quickly.   
Placing the pen behind an ear she leaned back in   
her chair to stare at him.  
  
"W-well what do I have to do with your job?" Gary  
frowned.  
  
"Let me put it to you this way Hobson," Brigatti leaned   
forward in her chair. "Think of me as a Gardner, and that   
out there is my garden." With a jerk of her head Brigatti  
motioned towards the large picture window looking  
over the city.  
  
Not sure where Brigatti was going with this little scenario  
Gary sat staring quietly at her, his face perplexed.  
  
"So far, every seed I have sown in this case has taken  
root and I'm waitin' around for the harvest." she continued.  
" But, lately Hobson, it seems to me that instead of everything   
comin up roses, it keeps comin up--" She paused  
momentarily her eyes flashing and Gary could see the  
muscles in her jaw working,   
  
"You." She accused. Looking perplexed she leaned  
forward in her chair asking, "W-Why is that?"   
  
Silence.   
  
Her dark eyes flashing impatiently the way they usually did   
whenever she was irritated about something, Brigatti  
waited letting what she said sink in, her burning stare  
making him very uncomfortable.  
  
"Me?!" Gary finally responded, "I-I don't know what   
you're talking about!"   
  
Drawing a frustrated breath, Brigatti grabbed the   
large manila envelope she had brought in with her   
and reached in pulling out what appeared to be a   
snapshot taken of two people.   
  
"Do you know her?" she asked, tossing the photo   
down on the desk and tapping on the image of the   
girl in the picture. Gary's heart did a double flip   
when he saw the girl in the photo. It was April,   
smiling happily and wearing a very skimpy bathing suit,   
while cuddled up to a man old enough to be her father.   
  
Gary studied the photo carefully, his expression totally  
dumbfounded, finally admitting quietly, "Y-Yeah..I know  
her." His head shot up."Wh-Where'd you get this?"   
  
"Never mind about that. What I want to know is   
what do you know about *her*?" Brigatti arched  
a quizzical brow at him.  
  
Stunned, Gary didn't know what to say. "W-We're...friends,"   
he murmured, his eyes glued to the photo.   
  
"Um hum." Brigatti murmured suspiciously. She pulled  
out another photo and plopped it down on the table   
beside the first. This one was a picture of the woman  
Gary had saved from a holdup in the little corner store  
a couple of weeks ago. Pictured sitting next to her   
was the same gentleman pictured with April. Gary felt   
the bottom of his stomach lurch as he stared at the   
picture. He reached up to slide a hand through his hair  
What has April gotten into?   
  
"Mr. Danado," he said, his voice barely a whisper as  
he finally began to piece something's together.  
  
"Startin' to get the picture Hobson? Er...no pun   
intended."  
  
His mind a flurry, Gary sat there staring at the   
disgusting photo. He could only blame himself. He   
had never really pressured April into telling him   
everything that was going on with her. He had not   
wanted to upset her and figured that she would tell him   
in due time. He loved seeing her happy and at   
ease. But, never in his wildest dreams did he   
figure she would be involved with anything Brigatti   
would be investigating. Or anything as degrading  
as these photos might be suggesting. His mind  
was such a haze that he didn't hear Brigatti   
calling his name.   
  
"Hobson!" Brigatti called again.  
  
Gary glanced up to find her looking at him.  
  
"So." She sat back in her seat, "Do you want to tell   
me about it?"   
  
Gary didn't answer. He couldn't answer. He needed  
time to think. He needed to see April.  
  
"She looks familiar, Hobson."   
  
Gary simply shrugged, shaking his head slowly  
He didn't want to confess his relationship with April  
just yet.   
  
"The night I came to the bar to talk to you,   
remember that?" Brigatti reminded him.  
  
Gary was silent.   
  
"That's her...isn't it?"   
  
He ruffled the back of his hair with a far away  
look in his eyes still refusing to answer.   
Brigatti already knew for a fact that the two were   
dating, she felt a twinge of jealously, but quickly  
dismissed it, besides she would never let him know it.   
  
Feeling more frustrated than sorry for him now, Brigatti   
still didn't want to appear entirely unsympathetic to   
his situation. She leaned forward, saying, "I didn't just fall   
off a turnip truck, Hobson. I already know her name,   
I know where she lives, and that she works for a law firm.  
A new law firm under the name Davees, Davis and Daly,   
formally known as Davees, Danado and Daly."   
  
Gary blinked, as the name Danado finally connected,  
remembering now that April had told him about the   
new law firm that rainy night she walked into the bar.  
He remembered now that she had mentioned Danado   
as being a part of a law team she worked for. However she   
also said that something had happened to Danado but  
didn't go into any details about it.   
  
"Danado came up missing." Brigatti's voice cut into   
Gary's thoughts. "He had been shot in the back of the   
head with that same weapon, his body found a week   
later dumped on the outskirts of town." Again she paused  
giving him time to think. " Now do you wanna talk?"   
  
Still refusing to believe that April could be involved in   
something so horrendous, Gary sat quietly.   
  
Brigatti closed her eyes blew out a frustrated breath,   
hating to say what she was about to say next.   
"We also know, Hobson, that there were others."   
  
Gary's head shot up. "Others!?"  
  
Brigatti sat staring at him, but she did have a job to do.   
"Seems as if your pretty Miss Muffet is up to her little   
tuffet in trouble."  
  
To be continued............................. 


	21. April's Reign Chapter 18

Chapter 18  
~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Exhausted, Gary opened the door slowly to   
his loft, and right away the smell of something   
burning assaulted his nostrils. His eyes moved   
towards the window in front of the sofa, noticing   
that it had been slightly opened.  
  
Looking around, traces of April graced his small   
loft. Her purse on the entertainment center and   
her shoes placed neatly in a corner. Everything   
was neat and tidy. His bed had been carefully   
made which was something Gary never did when   
he rushed out in the mornings.   
  
The coffee table had been carefully covered with   
one of Lois's laced table cloths where on top, two   
wine glasses sat across from each other, a vase full   
of fresh flowers graced the middle of it all; but,   
Gary's thoughts were far away from the cozy little   
scene in his apartment. His mind was on what   
Brigatti had revealed to him down at the police   
station. Brigatti told him that she wanted to   
question April about some things, and not wanting  
to have her subpoenaed, she entrusted Gary to   
bring her down to her office.   
  
The sound of the door closing caught April's   
attention and she appeared suddenly from   
the kitchen.  
  
"Gary," she smiled, running out in her stocking   
feet to greet him. Throwing her arms about his   
neck, she planted a sweet kiss on his lips then   
pulled back suddenly to look at him.   
  
"Where have you been ... where do you go   
everyday?" she questioned, scolding him in a   
loving tone while helping him out of his jacket.   
  
Gary loved seeing April happy. It was as if she   
was experiencing a whole new lease on life and   
he enjoyed every moment of it. But tonight he felt   
guilty being the bearer of bad news.  
  
Jacket removed, April wrapped her arms about his   
waist and drew him close, her face looking up at   
him. She didn't care where he went everyday as long   
as he came back to her.  
  
HIs heart felt heavy as he bent to kiss her tenderly   
and April's eyes grew wide, sensing something wrong  
in his demeanor.  
  
"What's the matter?" she whispered, against his lips.  
  
"Just tired," he sighed rubbing his face in his hands. He   
didn't know how he would confront her about what he   
had just learned. He was in love her, which was a blow in   
itself, and now he had been told some pretty questionable   
things concerning her. But the picture of her on the lap of   
another man upset him even more.... a man who had been   
murdered.  
  
"Poor baby," she said sympathetically. Cupping both sides of his   
face lovingly in her hands, she kissed his lips again.   
  
"Hungry?" she asked hanging up his coat, "I made pasta but   
I burned it. So I ordered a pizza. Hope you don't mind."  
  
"Oh..no. I ah, like pizza," he said sliding a hand through his   
hair. The corners of his mouth curled into a lazy smile   
as he pictured her trying to cook for him. She wasn't   
a great cook, and he had found out the hard way   
when he dug his fork into a huge serving of lasagna   
she had prepared for him one day, only to find that   
the noodles hadn't been thoroughly cooked.  
  
Tonight, he had grabbed a bite of something to eat   
from the kitchen downstairs just before coming up   
and wasn't hungry. He couldn't remember what it   
was that he had eaten, but he didn't have the heart   
to tell April that he wasn't hungry. He also didn't   
have the heart to tell her what he was about to tell   
her now.  
  
Troubled, he sank down on the sofa and watched   
as April hurried into the kitchen and returned a few   
minutes later carrying a large steaming pizza and   
placed it carefully on the coffee table in front of him.   
  
Quietly he watched her, his eyes taking her in, still   
mesmerized by her beauty. The black leather skirt she   
wore graced her soft curves fitting her perfectly, and   
the powder blue cashmere sweater she wore complimented   
her pretty blue eyes and honey brown hair that spilled   
about her shoulders.  
  
Aware of his gaze upon her, April stuck out her tongue  
and made a funny face at him and tugged the rather   
snugged fitting skirt up slightly to bend her knees and   
she knelt down on the floor in front of the coffee table.   
With her legs tucked comfortably under her, she sat   
looking up at him, her pretty eyes blinking, waiting for   
him to join her.  
  
Staring at her, the picture Brigatti had shown him and   
everything he had been told that evening was tormenting  
his mind right now. He bent his head to rub his tired   
face in his hands.  
  
Why did he have to fall in love with her. He thought  
to himself as he contemplated how he would start   
the conversation. He was thankful that Brigatti had   
trusted him, giving him time to talk to her. He knew   
Brigatti would come looking for her sooner or later.   
It was now or never.  
  
"April...w-we need to talk" he said straight   
forwardly.  
  
April sat quietly looking up at him perplexed   
by his worried look. Gary rubbed his jaw, trying   
to figure out a way to start the conversation.  
  
"I-I just came from the police station..." he   
began. His voice was shaky as he proceeded   
to tell her everything he had been told by Brigatti.  
He mentioned the pictures Brigatti had shown him,   
the men April had allegedly dated and the murders.  
When he was finished, there was dead silence in the   
room, broken only by the sound of a police siren wailing  
somewhere in the distance.  
  
April's face was flushed pink as she sat staring up at   
him. Tears filled her eyes as she thought about everything  
Gary had just told her. She wanted to run, but she knew   
that she could no longer hide the terrible secret that had   
tormented her for months. Glancing down at her hands,   
her lips began to tremble as she answered. "I-I'm a bad   
person Gary, and I've done some terrible things."  
  
Speechless, Gary sat staring at her, trying to let   
what she had just confessed make sense in his   
tired mind. It didn't.   
  
"What are you talking about?" he said with a frown,"You're not   
bad April. W-What are you talking about?"   
  
April's body began to quake suddenly. Covering her face   
with her hands, she broke down crying. "Bad...horrible,   
things and then I can't remember them."   
  
Gary was stunned as her words resonated around   
in his head. He couldn't imagine what she could   
have possibly done that would warrant such a   
horrible confession. He had to know.  
  
"Like what!?" he asked simply, resisting the urge  
to reach out to hold her.   
  
April couldn't answer from crying.  
  
"April...tell me...things like what!? he demanded  
trying to keep his voice calm, while not really sure   
he wanted to know.  
  
"I have to go," April said in a small voice. She rose,   
from the floor wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.   
  
This scenario had played out once before. Not about  
to let her get away with it this time, Gary jumped up   
quickly from the sofa, blocking her path.  
  
"Oh no you don''t! N-Not that again April, w-we   
have to talk!"  
  
"What do you want to know." She asked.  
  
"What do I--!?" Gary began then stopped abruptly,   
clearly frustrated with her now. He ran a hand through   
his hair and glanced off, trying hard to keep his   
composure. She was still covering up something. What   
the hell was she hiding from him? He drew in an angry  
breath then turned to face her again.  
  
"Tell me what kind of trouble are you talking about,   
th-things like what?"  
  
Looking up from her hands, April answered. "Like...murder."  
  
There! She had finally said it!  
  
Whoa! Shocked registered in Gary's eyes as he stood  
there staring at her. Not sure he had heard her correctly,   
turn an ear towards her. "E-Excuse me?"   
  
"Gary, don't make me say it again!" she cried.  
  
"D-Do you know what you are saying!?" he whispered   
looking around the loft, as if the walls had ears.  
  
"I-I suppose I-I block it out somehow.... I don't know."   
she continued tearfully.   
  
"Well...h-how can you not remember doing something!?" Gary was  
livid.  
  
"I-I don't know !" she cried. " I only know that whenever  
I go out with a guy-- or show interest, h-he winds up-- dead."   
Grabbing a tissue from the box on the table, she pressed it to   
her eyes."That's why I didn't feel right coming here, to be with   
you. I-I didn't want anything to h-happen to you."  
  
Silence engulfed the room as Gary sat staring at her. He was   
completely dumbfounded and didn't know what to say to her.   
  
April, feeling totally helpless, stood looking up at him, knowing   
she had lost him. Tears spilled over on the blue sweater   
Gary had thought looked so pretty on her and his heart softened.   
There had to be another explanation for all of this. This beautiful  
lady was no murderer.  
  
Closing his eyes, he drew in a long breath and blew it out slowly.  
"C'mere," he reached for her.  
  
April went to him, wrapping her arms about his neck. She buried her   
face against his shoulder and cried, her small frame convulsing as   
thoughts of what she had become flooded her mind. The thought of   
losing Gary tore her apart. She had finally found love and now her   
whole world had fallen apart.  
  
In shock, Gary held her, his eyes clenched tight. He kept thinking  
to himself that this couldn't be happening. He could feel April's   
arms tight about his neck, crying. Her breath hot on his shoulder  
already damp from her tears and after a moment, he pulled her   
back gently to look her squarely in the face. He had to know more.  
  
"April," he whispered, shaking her gently to get her attention. "Did you   
know a Mr. Danano?"   
  
Crying.  
  
"April !" Gary's voice was more forceful this time. God he hated   
using that tone with her and he hated seeing her cry but he had   
to get through to her. "Did you know a Mr. Danano?" he asked again.  
  
"Y-Yes!" she admitted tearfully.  
  
Gary blinked, "Well--how?!" he asked, not wanting to picture her   
with anyone else. The photo had disturbed him deeply and when  
Brigatti mentioned that there were others, he thought he   
would certainly lose it.  
  
With her head still buried in his shoulder, April tried explaining   
as best she could. "He was one of the lawyers at the law firm   
that I work for. W-We dated for a little-while---but I didn't know  
that he was married Gary, I swear," she cried her voice muffled  
against his shoulder.  
  
"A-And then what happened?"  
  
April pulled back wiping her eyes. She knew that she had to tell   
him everything and that eventually, the killings would have to stop.   
She felt she could trust him and that she could tell him anything.  
  
"Tell me." Gary asked again, his tone softening.  
  
"I-I don't know really." she said, her body jerking as she drew in a   
breath. Pressing the tissue into her eyes she continued, "H-He didn't   
show up at work for days a-after our last date. I called and called   
the number had given me, but I-I never got an an-answer. His body   
was found days later."  
  
Listening to all of this, Gary knew that they were cooked! He dropped  
back down on the sofa, letting her body slumped against his, waiting   
patiently until she was able to compose herself to answer some   
more questions that he had for her, and there were many.   
  
In a daze Gary held April gently, her back shaking uncontrollably   
as she cried. The awful truth was now exposed. But was it true?   
Was this beautiful woman really a killer?   
  
The gun! He blinked, thinking frantically for anything that   
might help them out of what seemed like a hopeless situation.   
April had never mentioned that she owned a gun. Anxious, Gary   
held his breath, getting ready to asked her a question the whole   
awful question.  
  
"April," he called to her softly. It was a few minutes before he   
heard a barely audible murmur against his neck, as she finally  
responded.  
  
"Mm?"  
  
"I-I need to know something. D-Do you have a gun?"   
  
After a moment, she pulled back to look at him pausing  
to blow her nose on the wadded tissue she held in her hand.  
The pretty eyes that were once a clear blue, were now red-rimmed as   
she blinked thinking about the question Gary had just asked her. As  
if to suddenly remember, her mouth stretched open. "Yeesss!!!"   
she wailed falling onto his chest again crying.  
  
His mind frantic, Gary remembered that Brigatti had said  
that a special caliber gun that had been used in the murders. One  
that had been specially made. He would have to see her gun.  
  
"Do you have the gun with you?" he asked.  
  
April nodded against his chest and pulled back wiping her eyes  
with the tissue. As if in a daze she rose from the sofa   
and moved slowly towards the entertainment center to retrieve  
her purse. Gary got up and followed, standing close behind her.   
  
Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a white handkerchief and   
began to slowly unwrap what was inside. A small, strange looking   
revolver came into view as she pulled back the last layer of the cloth.  
  
It was a weird looking contraption that fit perfectly her hand. Gary's  
heart stopped. He reached over, snatching it out of her hand.  
  
"Where did you get this!?" he asked as he examined the gun.  
  
"P-Peter gave it t-to me." She stammered.  
  
Peter? Gary's mind raced, trying to remember if she had ever   
spoken of any one named Peter.   
  
"Who the heck is Peter?" He asked, looking over at her.  
  
"M-My ex..." April responded, "My ex fian...fiancee," she sniffed.   
" I told you about him. He gave me the gun to use for my pro-protection  
when I left New York. He wanted me to be safe."  
  
"Oh yeah." Gary murmured sliding a hand through his hair.   
  
Gary examined the gun more closely, turning it over in his hand   
before opening it up, to take a look inside of the chamber. There   
was two bullets left in the chamber and he emptied them out into   
the palm of his hand.  
  
They were odd looking things, much smaller than any bullets   
he'd ever seen, which might explain the strange wounds found   
on the victims.   
  
Wrapping the bullets in a tissue, he placed them carefully on the   
table then snapped the gun closed. Examining the barrel of the gun   
again, he noticed the darkened color of the barrel and that it smelled   
of smoke.   
  
"It's been fired!" he glanced over at her.  
  
April's lips quivered and she gave a slight shrug, seeming to be   
as much in the dark as he. She opened her mouth to speak but   
nothing came out.  
  
"W-We have to tell the police." Gary murmured subconsciously.  
  
"Gary, no!" April cried, "Please Gary!"  
  
Painfully, he studied her tear streaked face pleading with him   
not to tell, and it tore him up inside. He loved her and in his   
heart he knew that he couldn't turn her in. Not now, maybe not ever.  
  
"Maybe we can hold off of telling for now," he said scratching his head.   
He wrapped the gun back into the cloth and placed it on the coffee   
table beside the bullets. Then without a word he put an arm around   
April and together they sank back down on the sofa with April crying   
softly against his chest.   
  
He clicked off the lights and for a long while the two sat quietly,   
holding each other. He thought about Brigatti. Oh boy! They   
were cooked!   
  
When April felt calm enough to talk, only then was she able to   
tell Gary the horrendous details of her life. Growing up in a foster  
home, being moved from place to place, abused and mistreated.   
  
She told how she had grown to detest men, especially married men.   
They were the worse. Wanting to mold her to be what they wanted   
her to be only to be dumped by them later. She was just decoration.  
She felt that she was a monster for feeling the way she felt about   
men and when the bodies of the men she had dated started   
turning up dead, she assumed she had killed them. There was   
no other explanation for it. She was a monster!  
  
"Were there others?" Gary asked hesitantly.  
  
She simply nodded.  
  
Gary's heart sank.  
  
He thought about Robert Norse, the man from the Golden Spoon   
restaurant and the woman in the red wig.  
  
"D-Did you know a man by the name Robert Norse?" he asked   
reluctantly.  
  
April nodded slowly. "I saw you when you came into the   
Golden Spoon restaurant that night. You said something to him   
and then he canceled our date."  
  
"So that was you in the red wig?"  
  
She nodded again, "Yes...he wanted me to wear it"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Gary"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"No matter how it appears...I never slept with any of those   
men...except Peter. I'm sorry."   
  
Gary closed his eyes shaking his head. "It's okay." he assured  
her softly.  
  
For a long moment April sat staring at him. Leaning back  
against his chest she murmured softly, "I've always felt safe with you.   
You never once tried to take advantage of me. You never expected anything   
from me," she pulled back to look at him again. "Even now." Her   
eyes searched his face, "I-I love you Gary," she whispered.  
  
At that moment, Gary's heart never felt heavier. She had endured   
an horrendous life growing up and it wasn't fair that she would have  
suffered the things that she had. She looked so helpless now and   
Gary felt that he needed to protect her now.  
  
"I love you too." he whispered back. He studied her face for a   
moment, resigned to his feelings for her and leaned in, kissing   
her gently. Gary had never told April that he loved her before....   
in fact, not since Marcia had he dared to utter those words to any   
woman, and it surprised even him.   
  
April on the other hand had heard those words numerous of times,   
but her eyes widened with surprise upon hearing them come from   
him. She closed her eyes and settled against his chest again.  
  
"Do you want me to go to the police tomorrow?" she asked   
softly, her eyes still closed.  
  
"We'll sort everything out in the morning," Gary sighed. "It'll be   
okay."  
  
Somehow those words coming from him meant so much to April.  
She was relieved that she had finally told someone about her torment.   
That it was the man she loved and trusted.   
  
Leaning against his firm body, she could feel him breathing   
and could hear his heart beating rapidly in his chest. She inhaled  
the smell of him and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.  
It wasn't long before she drifted off to sleep.   
  
Gary, on the other hand sat in silence, agonizing over their situation,   
knowing that if everything was as it appeared, he was holding a   
murderer. But here had to be another explanation for all of this  
there just had to be! Careful not to awaken April, he leaned over,   
sliding the paper from his back pocket to take a look. Nothing.  
  
Maybe April could get help--psychological help. Maybe she could   
plead temporary insanity or something. Gary didn't know. HIs mind  
a torment, he laid the paper aside thinking about what he was  
going to tell Brigatti in the morning.   
  
Oh boy! Brigatti. He blew out a tired breath and close his eyes.  
It wasn't long before he drifted off into a restless sleep.   
  
To be continued.................. 


	22. April's Reign Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
Gary's eyes fluttered opened. Awakened by a strange noise   
he raised his head slowly off the back of the sofa peering through  
the semi-darkness at the large picture window in front of him.   
  
Night had fallen and it was raining again. Remembering that he and   
April had fallen asleep on the sofa, he no longer felt the warmth   
of her body against him and he sat up looking around.  
  
She was gone.   
  
He ran a hand over the place where she had sat cuddled  
next to him. The spot was still warm. She's probably in  
the bathroom, he thought and reached over to turn on the light.   
  
Click! Nothing.   
  
Great! A burned out bulb.   
  
Pushing himself up in a more comfortable position, he felt a sudden  
chill and rubbed his hands up and down his arms to warm them.  
  
A noise near the bathroom and his eyes shot over in that direction.  
A section of the large window had been raised slightly and the   
newspapers that were stacked neatly beneath rustled gently from  
the wind and rain that dribbled through.   
  
It was only the rain. He blew out a breath of relief, remembering   
that April had opened the window earlier that evening to air out   
the smell of burnt pasta, he got up and walked over to pull it shut.   
  
"April?" he called moving towards the bathroom.He thought about   
everything that had gone on last night and wanted to check on her  
to make sure that she was okay. It had been a very emotional night  
for the both of them.  
  
"April?" he called again.  
  
No answer.  
  
Concerned he tapped gently on the door. Still no answer. Opening  
the door a crack, he peeked inside. It was cold and dark inside   
of the bathroom but no sign of April.   
  
Perturb, he slid a hand through his hair and glanced down at his   
watch. It was 3:45 am. Where could she have gone? he frowned.  
Now he was really beginning to worry.   
  
He walked over to the coffee table and right away noticed that  
April's gun was missing. And so were the bullets! Oh boy! He   
moved quickly towards the sofa and picked up the Paper then  
held it up in the moonlight to take a look. In the dim lighting a   
small headline in the corner of the paper sent a chill though him.   
  
Bar Owner and Female Found Shot, Police suspect Murder -Suicide  
  
What---?   
  
Another rustle from behind him this time and he froze dead in his  
tracks.The hairs on the back of his neck seemed to prick up as he   
stamered, "A-April?"  
  
Still no answer.  
  
An alarm shot though the pit of his stomach. Realizing that he wasn't  
alone, he swallowed hard and was turning around slowly when  
suddenly an arm hooked around his neck from behind pulling him   
downward, holding him tight in a choke hold.One of his arms was   
suddenly forced up painfully behind his back, bringing him down   
quickly to the floor.  
  
On his stomach, Gary struggled with the assailiant to get free when  
he felt a knee press painfully into his back. But it was the cold hard   
object held firmly against his rib cage that persuaded him to stop   
struggling---and he did.  
  
"O-Okay! Okay! " he panted and relaxed his struggle.  
  
Meow! Cat's purr echoed loudly from somewhere in the room. Gary's   
eyes darted frantically about in the darkened room trying to locate   
him. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Cat watching  
silently from a darken corner on top of the entertainment center, and   
he shot him a menacing look. "Do something will ya," he sputtered..   
  
At that remark the side of his face was shoved down hard against  
the cold floor and firmly held there.  
  
"Make another sound," the intruder hissed a warning in his ear,   
"and I'll have to shoot you my....ah--ahh--ahhh-- choo!! Self!"   
  
Stunned, Gary's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Brigatti??! 


	23. April's Reign Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
His neck and arm released, Gary rolled over,  
startled to find himself staring in the face of Brigatti.   
  
Flustered, she stood up brushing herself off, at the same time  
glaring down at him. Gary was a big man to handle but with  
her skill and police training Brigatti could handle just about   
anyone if warranted.  
  
Gary opened his mouth to speak, but closed it quickly   
when she raised a finger to her lips, ordering him to   
be quiet.   
  
"What are you doing here?" He whispered  
  
"Hush!! And get rid of that damned cat will you!" she whispered back.  
Suddenly her eyes clenched tight. Drawing in short gasps of breaths  
her head began a jerking back motion and she held a finger quickly  
beneath her nose to stifle a sneeze.  
  
Watching her, Gary scratched his head and frowned. "Huh? Oh,   
yeah, the ah, cat."   
  
Rising to his feet, he shot Brigatti a look, having not expected  
such strength to come from such a small package. If he didn't   
have broken ribs before, he most certainly had them now!   
  
He made his way carefully over to the entertainment center, where  
Cat nestled, then lifted him up with both hands and carried him to   
the bathroom. "Some help you are," he scolded as he opened the  
door and placed him on the floor. "Sorry buddy."   
  
Closing the door quietly, he turned back to Brigatti who was trying   
very hard to suppress another sneeze. Knowing that she wasn't   
one for making social calls, especially in the middle of the night,  
he was worried. Maybe she knew something more about April   
and was there to arrest her.   
  
Sneeze in check, Brigatti removed her gun from her holster and  
began casing the place quietly. Puzzled, Gary watched her for   
a few minutes as she checked his closet and beneath his bed.  
"What are you doing here?" He whispered when she had finished.   
He wasn't even sure why they were whispering.  
  
"I don't have time to explain! Get over there on the couch and   
pretend that you're asleep!" Brigatti whispered.  
  
Gary glanced at the couch then back at Brigatti. "What for?!"   
  
Brigatti lifted her chin defiantly. "Do it Hobson!" she ordered,  
nudged him towards the sofa.   
  
Puzzled, Gary did as he was told. Brigatti had looked totally  
serious and he had learned from past experience to trust her.   
  
Settling down on the sofa he watched as Brigatti slipped   
quietly behind the door, her gun clutched tightly in both   
hands. In the semidarkness, she glanced over at him as she  
placed a finger to her lips for silence and they waited.  
  
As he lay there Gary thought about the headline in his paper.   
Murder Suicide? No. It just couldn't be. The paper had it   
all wrong. It was known to be wrong from time to time, he tried   
to convince himself, still, he worried about April. Where the   
hell was she? Maybe she had to leave. Maybe she--  
  
Thunk!  
  
What was that!?  
  
Gary's eyes darted over to Brigatti. She had heard it too.   
Adrenaline pumping, she raised the gun with both hands over her   
head, waiting.  
  
The sound of footsteps coming slowly up the stairs made Gary's  
heart skip. What if it was April coming back? He held his breath,  
hoping Brigatti knew what the hell she was doing.   
  
This time there was the sound of scuffling outside of   
the door. Gary raised his head slightly to take a peek. Through   
the bumpy glass window he could make out the silhouette   
of two figures standing side by side, one looming much taller  
over the other. Lowering his head he closed his eyes and held  
his breath again as the door knob clicked then turned slowly and  
the door creaked open.   
  
Peering through his lashes, Gary could still see Brigatti behind   
the door with her gun raised over her head. God he hoped she knew   
what she was doing.   
  
As the two figures stepped inside the smaller one was putting up  
a resistance. As they moved closer, both their faces   
became more clearer by the light coming through the window.   
  
As he got a good look, Gary's brows crinkled. The smaller figure  
was April! Standing behind her was a tall dark figure with a black  
hood covering his head. April looked completely terrified and was  
making pleading whimpering sounds as the man gripped her arm   
tight, forcing her further into the apartment. Gary's heart pummeled   
loudly in his ear, so loud he was almost certain they could hear it.  
He didn't like seeing April being manhandled and he resisted  
the urge to jump up to try and tackle the guy. His eyes shot   
over to Brigatti who seemed to be biding her time. What the hell   
was she waiting for!?   
  
Once inside April broke free and ran towards the sofa where she  
had left Gary sleeping. She stumbled falling on top of him and  
instinctively he grabbed her bracing himself for the impact of her  
body. Face to face, April's eyes were wide with fear as she tried to get her balance. "Gary." She whimpered, as he   
struggled to sit up. Turning around, April spotted Brigatti in the  
shadows behind the door way and she gasped.   
  
"Ssshhh." Gary whispered in her ear, and she quickly averted her   
gaze.   
  
The intruder stood towering over the two of them, his head darting  
around the semidarkness room as he cased the place.   
  
"W-What do you want?" Gary demanded. "Look..if-if it money--"  
  
"Shut up!" The man ordered, cutting him off. "What I want, I know   
now that I can never have!"  
  
Confused by the statement, Gary glanced over at Brigatti who shot   
him a threatening look, waving him away.  
  
With a curious frown, April studied the intruder. The sound of his voice  
was so familiar to her. She was certain she recognized it.   
  
Swallowing hard, Gary waited quietly, his eyes fixed on the man's   
gloved hand twitching nervously on the strange looking revolver he   
held which looked amazingly like the one April had. Actually, it   
was exactly like the one April had!   
  
April spotted the gun too and gasped, "Peter."   
  
Surprised, Gary's brows shot up. "Peter?  
  
The man reached up pulling the mask off over his head. His   
dark hair tumbled about his face, his blood shot eyes, disturbing,   
as he glared down at them. Anxiously his hand massaged the tiny   
revolver feverishly in his hand.  
  
"April." He whispered her name, his voice hoarse and mono-toned.  
  
"Peter?"  
  
"My sweet, sweet April." He whispered again, his eyes filled with   
love and adoration for her.   
  
April gasped.  
  
"Please come back to me my bunnie." He   
begged shamelessly.  
  
April's heart was pricked at the sight and sound of him. She   
looked back at Gary then back at the man she was once   
engaged to standing in front of them. There was something terribly   
wrong with him.  
  
"Peter, it's over." She whispered trying to keep her voice calm. "It-it was   
over months ago."   
  
"NO!!" He shouted, spittle trickling down his chin and he wiped   
it away quickly with the back of his hand. He was sweating profusely   
his dark eyes flashing with anger causing April to jump, grasping for   
Gary's hand.  
  
"It's not over...not yet....you see..." The man began as he moved   
closer to them. "I still love you April, and I've been following you.  
You're still my pretty bunnie."  
  
April cringed, closing her eyes tight. That use to be   
his pet name for her now it made her flesh crawl. The sight and   
sound of him frightened her yet she somehow felt pity for him.  
  
"P-Peter it-it's over now." She said trying to reason with him.   
"W-We're throu--"  
  
"I-I have been watching you April" He said completely ignoring   
her statement. "Y-You see...the others all died because of you.  
If you had come back to me, they would still be alive."  
  
April blinked thinking back on the nights when she felt she was   
being followed. It was all becoming so clearer to her now. No wonder.  
No wonder!  
  
Gary's jaw was clenched tight as he listened to all of this. This   
man had gone mad and Gary knew it. He noticed also that the  
man was moving closer to them as he spoke, his voice, sounding  
more desperate with each step.  
  
"Please April...I-I love you...I can't stand the fact that you're not with   
me anymore. I-I can't let you go April."   
  
April frowned, thinking about her months of torment, the confusion,   
and headaches that she suffered. "So it was you all the time.   
The men that I dated...you...you killed them?! Peter...why!?"  
  
Gary's heart was racing, knowing that this man as capable of   
doing just about anything he feared for April's safety. Again his   
eyes darted towards Brigatti, this time in desperation.  
  
"If I can't have you, then no one will! " The man grinned a sickly smile  
spread across his face, this time his gaze fixed on Gary. "He's next."   
he hissed.  
  
"No!" April pleaded, "Peter...no!"  
  
Behind the door, Brigatti was taking it all in knowing she  
had a real nut case on her hands. Feeling anxious now she   
knew that she had to act and act fast. She felt relieved  
knowing that detective Winslow, who had been following the   
two of them from downstairs, was close by and was waiting for   
her to make her move.   
  
"I-I killed for you April-" the man continued, "but since you won't   
come back to me you'll die along with your lover. The police will   
think it's a murder suicide. I switched guns with you one night  
sweetie when I broke into your apartment. Now the police will think  
that you were the one who had been committing the murders. But   
I won't hide your bodies like I did the others. Oh no." His breath   
was labored and shaky as he moved even closer to them.   
  
So the gun April had last night wasn't her gun at all. Peter had   
replaced her unfired gun with his. And Marisa was right! The paper  
couldn't report the murders because he was hiding the bodies which  
would be discovered days, may be weeks later! He hoped Brigatti   
was getting all of this.  
  
"I want them to find the two of you right away, together. You love   
being with him don't you! I know! I've watched you! So happy   
together--now die together! Give me the gun!" He shouted reaching  
for her.  
  
Gary pulled April from his reach, at the very moment Cat sprang  
from out of nowhere knocking over a lamp with a loud crash. Peter  
spun around quickly. Brigatti in that instant rushed forward, knocking  
him to the floor. Almost instantly, Winslow and several other   
policemen were there right beside Brigatti and they proceeded to   
struggled and scuffled with the distraught man.   
  
Everything was happening so fast Gary jumped up from the couch  
pulling April with him as they flew against it. For minutes  
the policemen scuffled violently with the man who was putting   
up quite a struggle. This man, the serial killer whom all of   
Chicago had been searching for, had been finally captured.   
Brigatti did not want to make any mistakes.  
  
Before long the man was subdued, handcuffed and lay sprawled  
on the floor, writhing like a wild beast. The small revolver at his feet.  
  
Out of breath, Brigatti stood up ruffling a hand through her   
short tousled hair. She glanced over at April. "You all right?"   
She panted, trying to catch her breath.   
  
Visibly shaken April nodded.  
  
Suddenly, like a scene from a horror movie a loud voice cried out  
from the floor, "APRIL!! I LOVE YOU!!!   
  
Like a - a mad man Peter lay there, his hair wild about his head  
and his lips bleeding. Unfazed, Winslow checked his cuffs again  
making sure he was secure, then pulled him up roughly from   
the floor.  
  
Crying, April covered her face with her hands and turned to   
bury her face on Gary's chest. She wanted to hide from   
every thing! To hide from the world! She felt sorry for what had  
happened to those men-- Mr. Danano and the others. Even sorry  
for what had happened to Peter. Sorry that she had ever met him.  
Sorry for putting Gary's life in danger.  
  
Brigatti bent down to retrieve the gun. "Get him outta here!" she ordered   
waving him away, her tone irritated.  
  
It was finally over. Holding April close, Gary ran a hand soothingly  
up and down her back. "It's okay..you're safe now." He whispered  
against her hair.  
  
Gary glanced up suddenly to find Brigatti staring at them   
their eyes locked briefly before Brigatti cut hers away quickly.  
A gentle color rising to her cheeks as she composed herself.  
Clearing her throat, she cursed herself inwardly. Her dark eyes   
looked tired and showed evidence of exhaustion. She had worked  
hard on this case.   
  
  
"Well," she said drawing in a breath. "Looks like we won't be   
bothered with lover boy for any more." She directed her gaze   
towards Gary and April. "I want to see you two down at my   
office some time today." With that she turned to leave.   
  
"Brigatti!" Gary called and she stopped suddenly and turned around.  
  
"H-How did you know?" He questioned.  
  
Brigatti paused, "About Peter Cohelo?"   
  
"Yeah"  
  
"I didn't." Brigatti answered frankly, "It was only later when I   
researched Danado's disappearance and came up with--" She   
paused to look at April. "Did a check on you Miss Chandler   
and quite frankly, everything was pointing to you. Every single one   
of the victims had some connection to you in one way or another."  
  
April looked back at Gary to check his response. He didn't offer any.   
  
"S-So how did you know about Peter Cohelo?" He asked scratching  
his head and still confused.   
  
"Well....I tracked this man who I noticed following Miss Chandler.  
Found out that he was from New York. So, I called a couple of   
acquaintances I know in New York to do a little background check   
on him. Again, Miss Chandler's name came up."   
  
"We use to be engaged." April said softly.  
  
Brigatti answered. "You were smart to leave--anyway,   
I did some more checking around and discovered that Mr Cohelo   
dabbled in some pretty shady dealings around New Jersey and New   
York. Found out that he had friends in a little underground operation   
where they made and sold fire arm of all types and capacity. That's   
where we discovered the gun that could have made the type of   
wounds that were found on the victims."  
  
"Peter?" April asked, astonished. How could she not have known  
these things about the man she was going to marry? She knew   
that he was very controlling towards her, but she never guessed that  
he would be involved in something so horrendous as this.  
  
"But he was studying to become... a doctor." April said perplexed.  
  
Brigatti let out a tired breath. "Yeah. Peter was a busy boy   
all right, and yes he was studying 'biology', but he was also   
majoring in a little criminology on the side...if you know what  
I mean."  
  
"So you knew that he was following me?"   
  
"Eventually," Brigatti said, her dark eyes piercing  
into April's blue ones. She glanced over at Gary. "He was  
following you too Hobson."   
  
Gary rubbed the back of his neck. So that explained the strange   
feeling that he was being followed. The lone car starting up   
and pulling off from beneath his window in the middle of the night.   
  
"So that was your car outside of my window?" He asked motioning  
towards the window.   
  
Brigatti blinked. "No. " She said quite frankly. "That was Peter   
checking you out. I was checking *him* out. Look, I don't enjoy   
being out in frigid weather Hobson, especially in the middle of the  
night. Lets just say that I had things under control. Tonight he saw   
Miss Chandler leaving the bar and decided to pay you two a little   
house call, and believe me it wasn't your health he was concerned  
about."  
  
"I'm so sorry Gary." April murmured.  
  
Gary assured her with a smile his face looking thoughtful, "So that's   
when you entered the window here." He said, turning towards the   
large window. "So you knew that Peter was downstairs and...."  
he paused abruptly. "Thanks."  
  
"Yeah, well...you need to get that fire escape prepared  
Hobson. " Brigatti complained, "There's a broken step. Somebody  
could get hurt."  
  
Gary smiled.  
  
" Well," Brigatti drew in a tired breath, " I have some paper work to  
do." Turning to leave she stopped abruptly and turn back around.  
"Oh...do you still have that gun?"   
  
April nodded and bent to retrieve her purse that had fallen to the floor.  
She reached in and pulled out the tiny strange looking weapon. Cringing   
with disgust she held it between her thumb and forefinger   
and handed it to Brigatti.  
  
Brigatti took the tiny gun and examined it thoughtfully, resting it in   
the palm of her hand for a moment before placing it into a plastic   
bag for evidence. "I will need t see you down at police   
headquarters today." She said.  
  
April nodded. With that, Brigatti turned on her heel, and was gone.  
  
To be continued..................... 


	24. April's Reign Chapter 21

Chapter 21  
~~~~~ * ~~~~~~  
  
After the police had gone and the bar had been carefully   
locked up, Gary and April settled down on the sofa in   
front of the large window to watch the sun come up.   
  
Exhausted, April sat quietly staring out into the purple morning   
sky. Gary noticed her demenor and with his fingers brushed a   
lock of her hair gently back behind her ear to see her face more clearly.  
  
"You alright?" He asked softly.  
  
"Yeah." She smiled up at him.  
  
"H-He didn't hurt you....or anything?"   
  
April shook her head. "No. I-I was just thinking."   
  
"About what?"  
  
April swallowed hard, looking down at her hands. "Well...did you   
ever think that it was possible that I could have--I mean that I was  
a murderer?"  
  
Gary studied her face carefully before answering. "Not for   
a minute." he whispered.  
  
"Really?" April eyebrows went up in surprise as she glanced  
over at him. "Thank you," she said softly. "I suppose that I was  
so angry with everyone and everything...I blamed myself."  
  
"You were confused." Gary assured her pulling gently on silky  
lock of her hair. He studied her face again before leaning in, kissing  
her tenderly and she happily obliged.  
  
He released her lips gently and pulled back to look at her. "Where did   
you go last night?" he asked, curious.  
  
Shrugging her shoulders slightly, April looked down at cat who  
lay on the floor beside her feet. "I-I was afraid--confused, and   
was going to back to my place to think about some things.   
When I got outside thats when this masked man--Peter, forced me   
back inside. I was so scared! But I never dreamt it would be--" she  
stopped abruptly and drew in a deep breath, her eyes blinking,   
reflecting with sympathy.  
  
Gary noticed her hesitation. "What?"   
  
April bit her lip, not sure she wanted to say what she was feeling.   
But she knew that she could trust Gary not to be completely uncaring.  
"I feel sooo sorry for Peter." She admitted, " I mean, h-he loved me   
sooo much."   
  
Gary stared at her for a moment, letting her words sink in.   
"Maybe," he sighed. "But April the man was sick. I-I mean--"   
He paused, sliding a hand through his hair glanced off for a moment  
thinking back over the years and the love he felt for Marcia.   
He glanced back at April again. "Love has to be strong enough  
to let go. A love that's healthy doesn't destroy. He needed help."  
  
April looked at him, thinking about what he had just told her. It was   
as if he was speaking from some experience. This beautiful man.  
Had someone hurt him?   
  
Gary smiled slightly sensing her question, "I-I'll tell you about   
it sometime,"  
  
"Mew!" Cat purred softly.   
  
Smiling, April leaned over to pick him up. Gary couldn't figure out   
how Cat had gotten out of the bathroom but then again, there were  
a lot of things he didn't know about Cat. He was just glad that he   
showed up in time.  
  
"Good cat," April cooed, scratching the cat gently behind the ears.   
After a long silence, she rested her head on Gary's shoulders,   
both of them sleepily awaiting the sun.  
  
"She likes you you know." She said unexpectantly.  
  
Gary glanced down at the top of her head. "Who!?"  
  
"That pretty police lady."  
  
"No she doesn't!" He groused.  
  
"Yes she does."  
  
"Have you seen how she looks at me?!!"  
  
"Um-hum." April murmured with a smile.  
  
Outside the first light of day greeted them cheerfully as the   
sun rose spreading out brilliantly over the sky. A brand new day was   
dawning. A new day for the both of them.  
  
The End  
  
Comments? Please email me and let me know  
how you liked April's Reign. It was my first full length  
story and probably my last. 


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